Armenia government seeks EU election support as pension hike draws criticism

2026-02-26 - 13:14

YEREVAN — Armenia’s political landscape is growing increasingly contentious ahead of the June parliamentary elections, as the government seeks European Union support to counter potential Russian interference while announcing a pension increase that critics describe as a pre-election incentive. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan recently confirmed that starting April 1, pensions in Armenia will rise, with lower pensions increasing by 10,000 drams and higher pensions rising by smaller amounts. Speaking during an early morning livestream, Pashinyan said the increase does not include additional reimbursements, meaning the effective rise would exceed the announced figures. The prime minister attributed the timing of the decision to two factors: economic growth recorded in 2025 and the introduction of universal health insurance on Jan. 1. He also thanked citizens who work and pay taxes, saying the measure was made possible by their contributions. However, the announcement has drawn criticism from opposition figures and political observers, who argue that the pension hike is a strategic move aimed at bolstering support ahead of the elections. They point to remarks made by Pashinyan during previous budget discussions in parliament, when he questioned how pensioners would meaningfully use a 10,000-dram increase and suggested that such an amount would not significantly impact their quality of life. Against this backdrop, the government has also sought assistance from the European Union (EU) to safeguard the upcoming elections from alleged Russian interference. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan formally requested the deployment of an EU “hybrid rapid response team” to counter disinformation and other potential destabilizing activities. The opposition argues that the government is framing its request for EU support as a safeguard against potential foreign interference in the electoral process, a threat that opposition figures say is being overstated to justify such assistance. Gegham Manukyan, a lawmaker from the Armenia Alliance and member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Armenia Supreme Council, told Pastinfo that the authorities’ logic effectively implies direct political backing for the ruling party. “Instead of this approach, the authorities could simply ask the Europeans to send police or other forces to surround opposition offices and detain opposition figures during the elections,” Manukyan said, arguing that the proposal effectively amounts to deploying significant EU resources in support of the government and the ruling Civil Contract party’s campaign. According to Manukyan, it is difficult to imagine a more overt form of interference in Armenia’s domestic affairs or a more direct influence on the electoral process. He drew parallels with EU involvement in Moldova’s elections, suggesting that a similar scenario in Armenia could unfold on an even larger scale. He further claimed that European engagement could be accompanied by influence from Turkey and Azerbaijan. Manukyan also argued that European discussions appear to assume not only holding parliamentary elections but also a subsequent constitutional referendum. He noted that no official decision has been adopted by the National Assembly or through any other formal mechanism to initiate such a referendum. In his view, references to a possible referendum reflect prior commitments made by the authorities to Azerbaijan rather than an established domestic legal process. Political commentator and editor Eduard Saribekyan weighed in on the pension decision, sharply criticizing what he described as a politically motivated shift in the government’s position. Saribekyan noted that only a month earlier, Pashinyan had publicly argued that a 10,000-dram pension increase would be largely meaningless, suggesting it would not substantially improve pensioners’ living standards. “Now,” Saribekyan wrote, “the government has decided to grant that very increase after all.” He argued that neither the dram’s purchasing power nor pensioners’ financial literacy had changed in the span of a month, concluding that the measure appears timed for electoral effect. According to Saribekyan, the April 1 implementation date means pensioners will receive higher payments in early May — weeks before the parliamentary elections — ensuring the increase remains fresh in voters’ minds. Saribekyan further pointed out that the 2026 state budget does not provide for a pension increase, raising questions about funding sources. Political analyst Vladimir Martirosyan also criticized the timing and rationale of the pension increase, framing it as a politically driven rather than socially driven decision. Martirosyan argued that pensions were not raised when retirees most needed support but rather “when the government’s ratings needed it.” According to him, the current system appears to calculate budgetary and social policy decisions based on polling data rather than socioeconomic indicators. He described both the earlier refusal to raise pensions and the current decision to do so as politically driven moves, suggesting that previously promoted narratives — including those centered on “peace,” a “new Constitution and Fourth Republic,” the TRIPP initiative, opposition to the former authorities, tensions with the Armenian Apostolic Church or claims of “hybrid warfare” — have failed to significantly shift the government’s approval ratings. Martirosyan contended that the government’s current approval level represents a political floor that is difficult to fall below, arguing that it has exhausted much of its public trust, limiting its ability to expand support through messaging alone. In this context, he characterized the pension increase — rejected a month earlier but now adopted — as a measure of “political self-preservation.” Martirosyan added that the measure may prove electorally effective. He said many political forces involved in the upcoming elections appear to rely heavily on public relations strategies, social media management, polling data and algorithm-driven analysis rather than substantive political thought or non-linear political strategy. With approximately 100 days remaining before the vote, he argued, direct engagement with voters may ultimately prove decisive.