Nikol Pashinyan
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Nikol Pashinyan has been a central figure in Groong’s coverage since the podcast launched in 2020. He rose to power in 2018 through a street movement that its proponents called the Velvet Revolution — though a substantial segment of Armenian political opinion views the events as a color revolution or externally influenced regime change operation rather than a spontaneous civic uprising. Under Pashinyan, Armenia has undergone one of the most turbulent periods in its post-independence history.
The most consequential event of Pashinyan’s tenure was Armenia’s defeat in the 44-Day War of 2020, which ended with the loss of most of Nagorno Karabakh (Artsakh) under a Russian-brokered ceasefire. Pashinyan survived political pressure to resign and consolidated power through snap elections in 2021. The September 2023 Azerbaijani offensive that caused the ethnic cleansing of the entire Armenian population of Artsakh deepened the crisis of legitimacy — both internationally and domestically — as critics argue his concessions to Aliyev made the outcome inevitable.
Since 2022, Pashinyan has undertaken a significant reorientation of Armenian foreign policy: suspending participation in the CSTO, deepening ties with France, the EU, and the United States, and accepting Western security assistance including an EU monitoring mission on the Armenian border. This pivot away from Russia has defined Armenian geopolitics in the post-Artsakh period. Groong has covered every major step of this reorientation, including what it means for Armenia’s relationship with Iran, India, and other partners.
Domestically, Groong’s coverage of Pashinyan addresses his government’s confrontation with the Armenian Church, the arrest of opposition figures and political prisoners, the Tavush border delimitation controversy, and Civil Contract’s campaign in the June 2026 parliamentary elections. Critics covered extensively on Groong argue that Pashinyan has used his parliamentary supermajority to weaken democratic institutions and neutralize political opposition under the guise of reform.
Philippe Raffi Kalfayan - IODA's Second Mission and Armenia's Dire Election Climate | Ep 554, Jun 4, 2026 [EP554]
Posted on Thursday, Jun 4, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Nagorno Karabakh, Human Rights, Artsakh | Series: cog
Groong Links:
Guest(s):
Topics:
- Arrests of government critics
- State pressure on voters
- Public resources used for campaigns
- Selective prosecution before elections
- Election legitimacy under serious doubt
Episode 554 | Recorded: June 3, 2026
#Armenia #ArmenianElections #Election2026 #IODA #OSCE #ODIHR #Geopolitics #Democracy
Arthur Khachatryan - Armenia Alliance in the 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election | Ep 551, May 31, 2026 [EP551]
Posted on Sunday, May 31, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Nagorno Karabakh | Series: cog, video
Groong Links:
Guest(s):
Topics:
- Free and fair elections
- Polls and opposition unity
- Hayastan Dashinq platform
- TRIPP and foreign policy
- Economy and Russian pressure
Episode 551 | Recorded: May 30, 2026
#ArmeniaElections #ArthurKhachatryan #HayastanDashinq #ArmenianOpposition #Pashinyan #TRIPP #SouthCaucasus #Groong
Groong News Digest — Week of May 25–31, 2026
Posted on Sunday, May 31, 2026 | Category: Digest, News Digest
As Armenia heads toward June 7 parliamentary elections, Pashinyan faces pressure from Russia while backing from Trump, with opposition arrests continuing and critical TRIPP corridor agreements signed with the United States.
Rubio Visit, New MPG and IRI Polls, Hidden Votes and Why Are You Alive? | Ep 550, May 24, 2026 [EP550]
Posted on Wednesday, May 27, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Poll, Armenian Church, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Genocide, Azerbaijan, Russia, China | Series: wir, video
Groong Links:
Topics:
- Rubio’s sudden Armenia visit
- Polls diverge before election
- Hidden vote raises questions
- TRIPP remains deeply polarizing
- “Western Azerbaijan” pressure grows
- Opposition faces arrests, threats
- “Why are you alive?” campaign rhetoric
Episode 550 | Recorded: May 25, 2026
#ArmeniaElections #Armenia #NikolPashinyan #TRIPP #ZangezurCorridor #WesternAzerbaijan #ArmenianOpposition
Edgar Elbakyan - The Battle for Armenia’s Political Future | Ep 549, May 24, 2026 [EP549]
Posted on Sunday, May 24, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Armenian Church, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan | Series: cog, video
Groong Links:
Guest:
Topics:
- Armenia’s existential election
- Polling under fear
- Divergent polling results
- Church and state conflict
- Post-election street pressure
Episode 549 | Recorded: May 22, 2026
#Armenia #ArmenianPolitics #EdgarElbakyan #StrongArmenia #ArmeniaAlliance #ArmeniaElections
Groong News Digest — Week of May 18–24, 2026
Posted on Sunday, May 24, 2026 | Category: Digest, News Digest
Armenia’s June 7 parliamentary campaign turned sharply confrontational as security forces raided opposition offices, Russia escalated economic pressure through export bans, and Pashinyan announced new railway connectivity through Turkey while signaling further territorial concessions to Azerbaijan.
Groong Podcast Digest — Week of May 18–24, 2026
Posted on Sunday, May 24, 2026 | Category: Digest, Podcast Digest
We examine Pashinyan’s violent campaign rhetoric, the abuse of state resources ahead of Armenia’s June 7 election, selective law enforcement against the opposition, the worsening Armenia-Russia relationship, and the vandalism of an Armenian church in Javakhk. We survey all 17 parties and 2 alliances registered for Armenia’s June 7, 2026 parliamentary elections, walking through each participant’s leadership, polling numbers, platform, and geopolitical orientation. Political scientist Edgar Elbakyan joins the hosts to examine Armenia’s upcoming parliamentary Read More
Parties and Alliances in the 2026 Armenian Parliamentary Election | Ep 548, May 22, 2026 [EP548]
Posted on Saturday, May 23, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Armenian Church, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, BRICS, Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, European Union | Series: cog, video
Groong Links:
Topics:
- Armenia’s election rules
- Parties and alliances competing
- MPG polling and thresholds
- Opposition challenges and turnout
- Geopolitical positions heatmap
Episode 548 | Recorded: May 22, 2026
#Armenia #ArmenianElections #ArmenianPolitics #Artsakh #SouthCaucasus #CivilContract #StrongArmenia #HayastanDashinq
Pashinyan's Hate Speech, Threats, and the June 7 Election Climate | Ep 547, May 17, 2026 [EP547]
Posted on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Election, Armenian Church, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, Russia, China, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, NATO | Series: wir, video
Groong Links:
Topics:
- Trump, China, and Iran
- Armenia-Russia “soft divorce”
- Pashinyan’s violent campaign rhetoric
- State resources and election pressure
- Javakhk church vandalism concerns
Episode 547 | Recorded: May 18, 2026
#Pashinyan #ArmeniaElections #ArmenianPolitics #PoliticalViolence #HateSpeech #ArmeniaRussia #IranWar #SouthCaucasus