YEREVAN — Speaking before a capacity crowd at the Karen Demirchian Sports and Concert Complex on Monday, March 16, Second President Robert Kocharyan officially launched his bid for the Prime Ministry, framing the upcoming June 7 elections as a choice between national dissolution and a return to sovereign dignity.
The event served as a major platform for the Hayastan (Armenia) Alliance, showcasing the strategic and organizational dominance of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF). Roughly two-thirds of the evening’s speakers were high-ranking ARF members, including Ishkhan Saghatelyan, who opened the proceedings, as well as Arthur Khachatryan and Kristine Vardanyan. The alliance also includes the Forward Party, led by businessman Tigran Arzakantsyan, who previously demonstrated the party’s regional viability by finishing second in the contested municipal elections in the Etchmiadzin (Vagharshapat) community.
The Ideological Foundation
In a speech that set a firm ideological tone, Kocharyan addressed what he described as a “strange time” in Armenian history. He challenged the narrative that national heritage and patriotism are obstacles to progress.
“We are being convinced that our rich history is a burden holding us back rather than a foundation for moving forward,” Kocharyan stated. “For the Armenia bloc, our identity, our history, and patriotism are the driving forces for building a modern and powerful country.”
The former president dismissed current social trends that treat national identity as a “seasonal trend,” arguing instead that these values are the essential essence of the Armenian spirit.
A Doctrine of Security and Realism
Turning to the collapse of the global order, Kocharyan warned that the world has entered a period governed by the “law of the jungle,” where the right of force has superseded the force of right. He argued that Armenia’s survival depends on three pillars: a strong army, a decisive leader, and a powerful, reliable ally.
“Armenia’s foreign policy must be predictable and clear,” he said, rejecting the strategy of “playing on the contradictions between great powers.” He pointed to the stability of his own presidency (1998–2008) as proof that such a framework provides the only reliable guarantee for peace.
Addressing the ongoing tensions with Azerbaijan, Kocharyan clarified that while the alliance seeks peace, it must be built on “real guarantees” rather than the current administration’s verbal assurances. He characterized recent diplomatic efforts by the ruling Civil Contract party as “humiliating,” claiming that national interests are being traded for symbolic gestures and “single photographs.”
The Path to June 7
The alliance was formally introduced by lawmaker Anna Grigoryan, who presented Kocharyan as a leader capable of neutralizing existential threats. Despite Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s recent claims in Syunik and Vayots Dzor that his party would secure a new “constitutional majority,” the atmosphere at the Hayastan event suggested a consolidating opposition.
While government-aligned reports often point to specific polling data to show a ruling lead, analysts at the event highlighted that approximately 30% of the electorate remains undecided. Opposition leaders argued that these figures often overlook a deep-seated urban dissatisfaction with the status quo. By positioning the Hayastan Alliance as the most “organized and effective” alternative, Kocharyan signaled that the campaign would focus on restoring Armenia’s standing as a serious regional actor that commands respect from both allies and adversaries.
