Civil Contract

Last updated: May 29, 2026

Civil Contract is the ruling political party of Armenia, founded and led by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan . It rose to power following the 2018 so-called “Velvet Revolution” (which critics term a “regime change”) and obtained parliamentary majority in the 2021 snap elections, giving it the supermajority that has defined Armenia’s legislative landscape for the past several years. The opposition challenged the results of the election as unfair.

With more than 80 episodes referencing the party, Groong’s coverage of Civil Contract is extensive. Topics include the government’s handling of the 2020 Nagorno Karabakh war and its aftermath, the peace negotiation process with Azerbaijan, Armenia’s pivot away from Russia and toward the European Union and the United States, the crackdown on opposition and civic institutions, the 2025 confrontation with the Armenian Apostolic Church , and the party’s campaign positioning ahead of the June 7, 2026 parliamentary elections.

Critics of Civil Contract covered in Groong episodes argue that the party has used its supermajority to consolidate power, weaken state institutions, suppress political opposition, and pursue a foreign policy that has left Armenia isolated and vulnerable. Supporters counter that it represents a genuine break from the corruption and military adventurism of previous governments.

Groong episodes that include this tag

Below are all Groong episodes tagged with Civil Contract.

Armenia’s Regional Challenges with Tatev Hayrapetyan | Ep #124 - Feb 26, 2022 [EP124]

Posted on Saturday, Feb 26, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Ukraine, Artsakh, China, India, Nagorno Karabakh | Series: cog

Armenia’s Regional Challenges - February 26, 2022 A Conversation with Tatev Hayrapetyan

Topics:

  • Tatev’s Background and Entrance into Politics
  • Armenia Going in the Wrong Direction?
  • Aliyev and his Regime after the 44-Day War
  • The Shushi and Moscow Agreements
  • Armenia’s Foreign Affairs Establishment

Guest:

  • Tatev Hayrapetyan is an expert in Azerbaijani studies and holds a PhD in History. She was an MP at the 7th convocation of Armenia’s National Assembly, a member of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Armenian Delegation at the PACE. She is mainly focused on domestic
 Read More

Armenia’s Regional Challenges with Tatev Hayrapetyan | Ep #124 - Feb 26, 2022 [EP124]

Posted on Saturday, Feb 26, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Iran, Ukraine, Artsakh, China, India, Nagorno Karabakh

Armenia’s Regional Challenges - February 26, 2022 A Conversation with Tatev Hayrapetyan

Topics:

  • Tatev’s Background and Entrance into Politics
  • Armenia Going in the Wrong Direction?
  • Aliyev and his Regime after the 44-Day War
  • The Shushi and Moscow Agreements
  • Armenia’s Foreign Affairs Establishment

Guest:

  • Tatev Hayrapetyan is an expert in Azerbaijani studies and holds a PhD in History. She was an MP at the 7th convocation of Armenia’s National Assembly, a member of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Armenian Delegation at the PACE. She is mainly focused on domestic
 Read More

Political Topics with Edmon Marukyan | Ep #120 - Feb 18, 2022 [EP120]

Posted on Friday, Feb 18, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Turkey, Genocide, Azerbaijan, Economy, Artsakh, Armenian Genocide, Russia, Human Rights, USA, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union | Series: cog

Political Topics with Edmon Marukyan - February 18, 2022

Topics:

  • Constitutional Change Commission
  • Artsakh Law on Occupied Territories
  • State of Bright Armenia Party
  • Turkish-Armenian Normalization

Guest:

  • Edmon Marukyan, who is a lawyer by profession and the leader of the Bright Armenia party (Լուսավոր Հայաստան). He was a member of the fifth, sixth and seventh convocations of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia from 2012 till 2021. He’s also a member of the newly formed commission to amend the constitution.

Guest(s):

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan
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Political Topics with Edmon Marukyan | Ep #120 - Feb 18, 2022 [EP120]

Posted on Friday, Feb 18, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Turkey, Genocide, Azerbaijan, Economy, Artsakh, Armenian Genocide, Russia, Human Rights, USA, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union

Political Topics with Edmon Marukyan - February 18, 2022

Topics:

  • Constitutional Change Commission
  • Artsakh Law on Occupied Territories
  • State of Bright Armenia Party
  • Turkish-Armenian Normalization

Guest:

  • Edmon Marukyan, who is a lawyer by profession and the leader of the Bright Armenia party (Լուսավոր Հայաստան). He was a member of the fifth, sixth and seventh convocations of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia from 2012 till 2021. He’s also a member of the newly formed commission to amend the constitution.

Guest(s):

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan
 Read More

POWs | War Commission | Degrading Democracy | Lukashenko | MPG poll | Ep #119 - Feb 13, 2022 [EP119]

Posted on Tuesday, Feb 15, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Armenia, Politics, Poll, Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey, China, Ukraine, Georgia, Israel, USA, Economy, Human Rights, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union, Geopolitics, Lebanon, NATO, Syria | Series: wir

ANN/Groong Week in Review - February 13, 2022

Topics:

  • 00:00:00 Introduction
  • 00:02:43 8 More POWs Released, But What At What Cost?
  • 00:20:40 Parliamentary Commission on the 44-Day War Established
  • 00:33:42 The Degrading Norms of Democracy in Armenia
  • 00:46:42 Who Needs Armenia?
  • 01:06:32 Latest MPG Poll Results in Yerevan
  • 01:18:51 Rants

Guest:

  • Benyamin Poghosyan

Guest(s):

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
  • Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq

Episode 119 | Recorded: Sunday, February 14, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220213.html

POWs | War Commission | Degrading Democracy | Lukashenko | MPG poll | Ep #119 - Feb 13, 2022 [EP119]

Posted on Tuesday, Feb 15, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Armenia, Politics, Poll, Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkey, China, Ukraine, Georgia, Israel, USA, Economy, Human Rights, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union, Geopolitics, Lebanon, NATO, Syria

ANN/Groong Week in Review - February 13, 2022

Topics:

  • 00:00:00 Introduction
  • 00:02:43 8 More POWs Released, But What At What Cost?
  • 00:20:40 Parliamentary Commission on the 44-Day War Established
  • 00:33:42 The Degrading Norms of Democracy in Armenia
  • 00:46:42 Who Needs Armenia?
  • 01:06:32 Latest MPG Poll Results in Yerevan
  • 01:18:51 Rants

Guest:

  • Benyamin Poghosyan

Guest(s):

Hosts:

  • Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
  • Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq

Episode 119 | Recorded: Sunday, February 14, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220213.html

Ukraine Crisis | Vahagn Khachatryan for President | New IRI Poll Results | Ep #118 - Feb 6, 2022 [EP118]

Posted on Wednesday, Feb 9, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Poll, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, China, Azerbaijan, Genocide, India, Economy, Iran, Armenian Genocide, Artsakh, Georgia, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union, NATO | Series: wir

ANN/Groong Week in Review - February 6, 2022

Topics:

  • 00:00 Introduction
  • 01:10 The Continuing Ukraine Crisis
    • Putin in Beijing, Erdogan in Kyiv, Pashinyan at Olympic Diplomacy?
  • 23:44 Civil Contract Nominates Vahagn Khachatryan for President
  • 41:21 New IRI Poll Results
  • 58:57 Rants

Guests:

  • Dr. Pietro Shakarian

Guest(s):

Hosts:

Episode 118 | Recorded: Sunday, February 8, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220206.html

Ukraine Crisis | Vahagn Khachatryan for President | New IRI Poll Results | Ep #118 - Feb 6, 2022 [EP118]

Posted on Wednesday, Feb 9, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Poll, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, China, Azerbaijan, Genocide, India, Economy, Iran, Armenian Genocide, Artsakh, Georgia, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union, NATO

ANN/Groong Week in Review - February 6, 2022

Topics:

  • 00:00 Introduction
  • 01:10 The Continuing Ukraine Crisis
    • Putin in Beijing, Erdogan in Kyiv, Pashinyan at Olympic Diplomacy?
  • 23:44 Civil Contract Nominates Vahagn Khachatryan for President
  • 41:21 New IRI Poll Results
  • 58:57 Rants

Guests:

  • Dr. Pietro Shakarian

Guest(s):

Hosts:

Episode 118 | Recorded: Sunday, February 8, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220206.html

Legal & Human Rights Developments in Armenia - Ruben Melikyan | Ep #117 - Feb 4, 2022 [EP117]

Posted on Friday, Feb 4, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Human Rights, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Genocide, Azerbaijan, Genocide, Russia, Turkey, China, Iran | Series: cog

Guest(s):

Legal & Human Rights Developments in Armenia A Conversation with Ruben Melikyan

Ruben Melikyan was formerly Artsakh’s Human Rights Ombudsman, and prior to that he was rector of the Justice Academy of Armenia. In 2019, Melikyan co-founded and currently leads the “Path of Law” NGO. Իրավական ուղի in Armenian.

Topics:

  • Introduction
  • Decisions of the International Court of Justice
  • Turkish-Armenian “Normalization”
  • More Constitutional Changes
  • Civil Contract Appoints new HR Ombudsman for Armenia
  • Continuing Harassment of Opposition Leaders
 Read More