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.
OSCE MG | Aparan Murders | Vanetsyan Resigns | Jhangiryan Doesn’t | Ep #144 - Jun 26, 2022 [EP144]
Posted on Tuesday, Jun 28, 2022 | Category: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia, Ukraine, Artsakh, Turkey, China, Nagorno Karabakh | Series: wir
Guest(s):
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - June 26, 2022
Topics:
- 00:00 Introduction
- 02:08 Who killed the OSCE Minsk Group?
- 21:36 Murders in Aparan
- 27:01 Arthur Vanetsyan Resigns from Parliament
- 38:51 Gagik Jhangiryan in the Line of Fire
- 44:39 Rants
Guests:
- Hrant Mikaelian / TW/@Hrant_M
Host:
- Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
- Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
Episode 144 | Recorded: Monday, June 27, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220626.html
OSCE MG | Aparan Murders | Vanetsyan Resigns | Jhangiryan Doesn’t | Ep #144 - Jun 26, 2022 [EP144]
Posted on Tuesday, Jun 28, 2022 | Category: Azerbaijan, Armenia, Russia, Ukraine, Artsakh, Turkey, China, Nagorno KarabakhGuest(s):
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - June 26, 2022
Topics:
- 00:00 Introduction
- 02:08 Who killed the OSCE Minsk Group?
- 21:36 Murders in Aparan
- 27:01 Arthur Vanetsyan Resigns from Parliament
- 38:51 Gagik Jhangiryan in the Line of Fire
- 44:39 Rants
Guests:
- Hrant Mikaelian / TW/@Hrant_M
Host:
- Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
- Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
Episode 144 | Recorded: Monday, June 27, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220626.html
Armenian News: April 24 Never Forget | Brussels Meet | Pashinyan in Moscow | Ep #133 - Apr 24, 2022 [EP133]
Posted on Tuesday, Apr 26, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Genocide, Armenian Genocide, Ukraine, Artsakh, Georgia, China, Human Rights, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union, NATO, Lebanon | Series: wir
Guest(s):
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - April 24, 2022
Topics:
- 00:00:00 Intro
- 00:00:53 April 24, Never Forget!
- 00:15:54 Aliyev and Pashinyan in Brussels
- 00:41:01 Pashinyan in Moscow
- 01:01:36 Rants
Guest:
- Benyamin Poghosyan TW/@Benyamin_Poghos
Host:
- Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
- Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
Episode 133 | Recorded: Monday, April 25, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220424.html
Armenian News: April 24 Never Forget | Brussels Meet | Pashinyan in Moscow | Ep #133 - Apr 24, 2022 [EP133]
Posted on Tuesday, Apr 26, 2022 | Category: Armenia, Russia, Azerbaijan, Turkey, Genocide, Armenian Genocide, Ukraine, Artsakh, Georgia, China, Human Rights, Nagorno Karabakh, European Union, NATO, LebanonGuest(s):
Armenian News Network/Groong Week in Review - April 24, 2022
Topics:
- 00:00:00 Intro
- 00:00:53 April 24, Never Forget!
- 00:15:54 Aliyev and Pashinyan in Brussels
- 00:41:01 Pashinyan in Moscow
- 01:01:36 Rants
Guest:
- Benyamin Poghosyan TW/@Benyamin_Poghos
Host:
- Hovik Manucharyan TW/@HovikYerevan
- Asbed Bedrossian TW/@qubriq
Episode 133 | Recorded: Monday, April 25, 2022 Website: https://groong.org/podcasts/WiR-20220424.html
Aram Navasardyan: How to Explain The MPG Polling Discrepancy? (Ep #75) - June 21, 2021 [EP75]
Posted on Monday, Jun 21, 2021 | Category: In Armenian, Armenia, Politics, Poll, | Series: cog
How to Explain The MPG Polling Discrepancy With Election Results? A Conversation (in Armenian) with Aram Navasardyan
Guest: Aram Navasardyan is Director of MPG, a member of Gallup International Association and one of the main pollsters in the pre-election campaign for June 2021 parliamentary elections.
– Ինչպե՞ս բացատրել MPG- ի հարցումների անհամապատասխանությունը ընտրությունների արդյունքների հետ Զրույց Արամ Նավասարդյանի հետ
Հյուր: Արամ Նավասարդյանը MPG- ի տնօրենն է որը հանդիսանում է Gallup International Association- ի անդամ և հիմնական հետազոտական կազմակերպություններից մեկն եր 2021
Read MoreAram Navasardyan: How to Explain The MPG Polling Discrepancy? (Ep #75) - June 21, 2021 [EP75]
Posted on Monday, Jun 21, 2021 | Category: In Armenian, Armenia, Politics, Poll,How to Explain The MPG Polling Discrepancy With Election Results? A Conversation (in Armenian) with Aram Navasardyan
Guest: Aram Navasardyan is Director of MPG, a member of Gallup International Association and one of the main pollsters in the pre-election campaign for June 2021 parliamentary elections.
– Ինչպե՞ս բացատրել MPG- ի հարցումների անհամապատասխանությունը ընտրությունների արդյունքների հետ Զրույց Արամ Նավասարդյանի հետ
Հյուր: Արամ Նավասարդյանը MPG- ի տնօրենն է որը հանդիսանում է Gallup International Association- ի անդամ և հիմնական հետազոտական կազմակերպություններից մեկն եր 2021
Read MoreArmen Ashotyan - Opposition Talks | Ep 44, Jan 19, 2021 [EP44]
Posted on Tuesday, Jan 19, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Genocide, Azerbaijan, Russia, China, European Union, Genocide, Geopolitics, Turkey | Series: cog
Groong Links:
Guest:
- Armen Ashotyan , MP, VP Republican Party of Armenia (HHK)
Topics:
- What took place in 2018?
- Why did RPA support Vazgen Manukyan as PM candidate?
- Nov. 9/10 ceasefire agreement & Jan 11 statement
- Is the RPA truly serious about removing Pashinyan? Why hasnât the opposition mobilized more people onto the streets?
- Lessons learned from Dec. 2018 elections.
Episode 44 | Recorded on January 17, 2021
Armen Ashotyan - Opposition Talks | Ep 44, Jan 19, 2021 [EP44]
Posted on Tuesday, Jan 19, 2021 | Category: Armenia, Politics, Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh, Armenian Genocide, Azerbaijan, Russia, China, European Union, Genocide, Geopolitics, TurkeyGroong Links:
Guest:
- Armen Ashotyan , MP, VP Republican Party of Armenia (HHK)
Topics:
- What took place in 2018?
- Why did RPA support Vazgen Manukyan as PM candidate?
- Nov. 9/10 ceasefire agreement & Jan 11 statement
- Is the RPA truly serious about removing Pashinyan? Why hasnât the opposition mobilized more people onto the streets?
- Lessons learned from Dec. 2018 elections.
Episode 44 | Recorded on January 17, 2021