Republican Party of Armenia
Last updated: May 30, 2026
The Republican Party of Armenia, commonly known as the RPA, is Serzh Sargsyan ’s party and one of the historic pillars of Armenian post-independence politics. The party governed Armenia for roughly two decades before the 2018 Velvet Revolution — widely seen as a color revolution and regime change operation — brought Nikol Pashinyan and Civil Contract to power. The RPA holds seats in the 2021–2026 National Assembly as part of the opposition but has announced it will not participate in the June 7, 2026 parliamentary elections , a decision that reflects the party’s assessment of electoral conditions under the current government.
The RPA’s criticism of Pashinyan’s rule centers on the handling of the 44-Day War , the ethnic cleansing of more than 150,000 Armenians from Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh), and what it characterizes as unconstitutional concessions to Azerbaijan in ongoing peace negotiations. The party has been vocal about Pashinyan’s confrontation with the Armenian Church , state pressure on clergy, and the broader erosion of Armenian statehood. Episodes featuring Armen Ashotyan , the RPA’s vice president, have addressed these positions alongside his own experience as Armenia’s most prominent political prisoner — detained for 25 months — and the pattern of state repression targeting opposition figures under Pashinyan’s rule. Hayk Mamijanyan, another RPA-affiliated figure, has spoken on deteriorating conditions for free expression and independent media.
The RPA’s decision to sit out the 2026 elections is itself a subject of analysis in Groong’s coverage. The party’s calculus is strategic: by not fielding candidates, it avoids drawing votes that would otherwise fall below the 4% threshold and be “vaporized” — wasted rather than converted into parliamentary seats. The RPA’s voter base is instead expected to consolidate behind other opposition forces, improving their chances of clearing thresholds and collectively denying Civil Contract a supermajority. This stance places the RPA outside the active electoral contest while its long-term organizational capacity and historical voter base remain relevant to the opposition’s overall prospects.
Groong episodes that include this tag
Below are all Groong episodes tagged with Republican Party of Armenia.
Artsakh Blockade Flash Update with Gev Iskajyan - Day 264 - Ep 276, September 2, 2023 [EP276]
Posted on Friday, Sep 1, 2023 | Category: Politics, Artsakh, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, Armenia, Russia, Geopolitics
Artsakh Blockade Flash Update with Gev Iskajyan - Day 264 - Ep 276, September 1, 2023
Armenian News Network Groong - September 1, 2023
Guest:
Topics:
- Arayik Harutyunyan resignation
- Samvel Shahramanyan state minister
- Kirill Kulakov new commander of Russian PKs
- September 2 - 32nd anniversary
Episode 276 | Recorded: September 1, 2023
Hrant Mikaelian - Situation in Artsakh | Yerevan Elections Heating Up | MPG Poll Outtakes | MPG Poll on Yerevan Elections [EP273]
Posted on Wednesday, Aug 16, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Politics, Poll, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Russia, Artsakh Blockade, Genocide, Turkey, Economy, Ukraine, China, Georgia, India, Iran | Series: wir
Guest:
Topics:
- Situation in Artsakh
- Yerevan Elections Heating Up
- July MPG Survey Outtakes
- August MPG Survey Outtakes
- Baku Poll
- Thoughts on the Economy
Episode 273 | Recorded: August 15, 2023
Hrant Mikaelian - Situation in Artsakh | Yerevan Elections Heating Up | MPG Poll Outtakes | MPG Poll on Yerevan Elections [EP273]
Posted on Wednesday, Aug 16, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Politics, Poll, Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, Russia, Artsakh Blockade, Genocide, Turkey, Economy, Ukraine, China, Georgia, India, IranGuest:
Topics:
- Situation in Artsakh
- Yerevan Elections Heating Up
- July MPG Survey Outtakes
- August MPG Survey Outtakes
- Baku Poll
- Thoughts on the Economy
Episode 273 | Recorded: August 15, 2023
Suren Sargsyan: Artsakh Under Blockade - Day 72 [EP228]
Posted on Tuesday, Feb 21, 2023 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Geopolitics, Russia, Azerbaijan, Artsakh Blockade, 168am, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union, Armenia, Turkey, Ukraine, Iran, Israel, Middle East | Series: cog, video
Guests:
- Suren Sargsyan , founder and a President at the Armenian Center for American Studies, a research center based in Yerevan.
“Pashinyanâs participation in Munich Security Conference didnât give anything to Armenia” - Suren Sargsyan
Topic:
Today is day 72 of the total blockade of Artsakh. For 72 days, the 120K citizens of Artsakh have not had the ability to enter or exit their country. They are deprived of the ability to visit Armenia or to receive guests from Armenia. With very limited supplies, they are forced to ration food with the help of food stamps in order to
Read MoreSuren Sargsyan: Artsakh Under Blockade - Day 72 [EP228]
Posted on Tuesday, Feb 21, 2023 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Geopolitics, Russia, Azerbaijan, Artsakh Blockade, 168am, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union, Armenia, Turkey, Ukraine, Iran, Israel, Middle EastGuests:
- Suren Sargsyan , founder and a President at the Armenian Center for American Studies, a research center based in Yerevan.
“Pashinyanâs participation in Munich Security Conference didnât give anything to Armenia” - Suren Sargsyan
Topic:
Today is day 72 of the total blockade of Artsakh. For 72 days, the 120K citizens of Artsakh have not had the ability to enter or exit their country. They are deprived of the ability to visit Armenia or to receive guests from Armenia. With very limited supplies, they are forced to ration food with the help of food stamps in order to
Read MoreArthur G Martirosyan | Army Day in Armenia | New EU Civilian Mission to Armenia | Politics of Artsakh Blockade | Ep 219 - Jan 29, 2023 [EP219]
Posted on Sunday, Jan 29, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Politics, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh, Russia, Iran, USA, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, Turkey, Ukraine, Israel, Genocide, Georgia, Middle East, NATO | Series: wir
Guest:
Topics:
- Army Day - January 28
- Events at Yerablur
- New EU Monitoring Mission
- Armenia’s Diplomacy
- Russia’s Increasing Displeasure
- Iran’s Tempered Displeasure
- Artsakh Blockade
Episode 219 | Recorded: January 29, 2023
Arthur G Martirosyan | Army Day in Armenia | New EU Civilian Mission to Armenia | Politics of Artsakh Blockade | Ep 219 - Jan 29, 2023 [EP219]
Posted on Sunday, Jan 29, 2023 | Category: Armenia, Artsakh, Politics, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh, Russia, Iran, USA, Artsakh Blockade, European Union, Turkey, Ukraine, Israel, Genocide, Georgia, Middle East, NATOGuest:
Topics:
- Army Day - January 28
- Events at Yerablur
- New EU Monitoring Mission
- Armenia’s Diplomacy
- Russia’s Increasing Displeasure
- Iran’s Tempered Displeasure
- Artsakh Blockade
Episode 219 | Recorded: January 29, 2023
Hayk Mamijanyan: Artsakh Under Blockade: Day 10 [EP189]
Posted on Wednesday, Dec 21, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, NATO, European Union | Series: cog, video
“Armenia has to draw a red line - Artsakh can never be part of Azerbaijan” -Hayk Mamijanyan
Guest:
- Hayk Mamijanyan is the leader of the oppositional Pativ Unem (With Honor) alliance in the Armenian National Assembly, and a member of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA).
Topic:
This is Day 9 of the blockade of Artsakh by Azerbaijan.
This interview is a continuation of the collaboration between Groong and 168 Hours aiming to bring you more English-language coverage on the developments of this very serious humanitarian crisis in progress.
Links:
- 168 Hours: https://168.am
Hayk Mamijanyan: Artsakh Under Blockade: Day 10 [EP189]
Posted on Wednesday, Dec 21, 2022 | Category: Artsakh, Politics, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Turkey, Nagorno Karabakh, Artsakh Blockade, NATO, European Union“Armenia has to draw a red line - Artsakh can never be part of Azerbaijan” -Hayk Mamijanyan
Guest:
- Hayk Mamijanyan is the leader of the oppositional Pativ Unem (With Honor) alliance in the Armenian National Assembly, and a member of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA).
Topic:
This is Day 9 of the blockade of Artsakh by Azerbaijan.
This interview is a continuation of the collaboration between Groong and 168 Hours aiming to bring you more English-language coverage on the developments of this very serious humanitarian crisis in progress.
Links:
- 168 Hours: https://168.am