Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has secured reelection in a closely watched parliamentary election, preserving his political mandate to continue peace negotiations with neighboring Azerbaijan and pursue closer ties with the West.  

While many observers view the result as a rejection of pro-Russian political forces, religious freedom advocates warn that serious concerns remain regarding the Armenian government’s increasingly confrontational relationship with the Armenian Apostolic Church. 

Preliminary results released by Armenia’s Central Election Commission showed Pashinyan’s Civil Contract Party receiving nearly 50% of the vote, enough to secure a parliamentary majority. The result marks a significant political victory for Pashinyan despite years of domestic criticism following Armenia’s devastating loss of Nagorno-Karabakh, known to Armenians as Artsakh, in 2023. 

The election was widely viewed as a referendum on Armenia’s geopolitical future. Pashinyan campaigned on a platform of continued engagement with the United States and Europe while advancing a peace process with Azerbaijan. His principal challengers included political blocs led by Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan and former president Robert Kocharyan, both of whom advocated maintaining closer ties with Moscow. 

For many Armenians, however, the election also carried implications for the future of the Armenian Apostolic Church, one of the country’s most important institutions. 

Growing Tensions Between Church, State 

During the past year, tensions between Pashinyan’s government and the Armenian Apostolic Church have escalated dramatically. 

Earlier this year, Armenian prosecutors opened a criminal case against Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, the highest religious authority in the country. The Catholicos was also barred from traveling abroad, preventing him from attending an international gathering of Armenian bishops. Critics described the measures as unprecedented government interference in the internal affairs of a religious body. 

The prosecution stemmed from an internal church disciplinary dispute involving the defrocking of a bishop. Religious freedom advocates argued that the matter fell squarely within the church’s spiritual authority and should not have been subject to state intervention. 

The conflict intensified in April when Pashinyan’s ruling Civil Contract Party published an election platform that explicitly called for the removal of the Catholicos and outlined a political roadmap to restructure the Armenian Apostolic Church. The proposal included plans to appoint interim church leadership, draft a new church charter, and implement new oversight mechanisms traditionally governed by church authorities. 

Legal experts and religious freedom advocates warned that such proposals risk violating constitutional protections guaranteeing the church’s autonomy and the separation of church and state. 

For many Armenians, the concern extends beyond ecclesiastical governance. More than 90% of Armenia’s population identifies with the Armenian Apostolic Church, which has served for centuries as a central pillar of Armenian identity, preserving the nation’s faith, language, and culture through periods of foreign occupation, persecution, and genocide. 

A Difficult Choice 

While Pashinyan’s government has faced widespread criticism for its handling of church-state relations, the opposition’s alignment with Russia presented long-term concerns of its own. 

Russian authorities have for years imposed severe restrictions on numerous religious communities, including Protestant groups, Jehovah’s Witnesses, independent religious organizations, and others perceived as operating outside state-approved structures. The Russian government has also increasingly linked religious institutions to state political objectives, blurring the distinction between religious and political authority. 

Many Armenian voters found themselves weighing concerns about domestic interference in church affairs against the prospect of increased political dependence on a foreign power with its own history of religious freedom violations. 

The election also unfolded against the backdrop of the unresolved consequences of Azerbaijan’s 2023 conquest of Nagorno-Karabakh. 

Azerbaijan’s military operation resulted in the displacement of roughly 120,000 ethnic Armenian Christians from the region. Since then, Armenian church leaders and cultural preservation organizations have repeatedly warned of threats to Armenian Christian heritage sites remaining under Azerbaijani control. 

Recent satellite imagery has confirmed the demolition of multiple Armenian churches in Stepanakert, the capital of the region, including the Holy Mother of God Cathedral and the Church of St. Jacob. Armenian Christian leaders have characterized the destruction as part of a broader effort to erase centuries of Armenian Christian presence in the region. 

Although international attention has increasingly shifted toward broader geopolitical developments, many displaced Armenians continue to seek accountability, protection for religious heritage, and recognition of the suffering endured by the Christian population of Artsakh. 

An Opportunity for U.S. Leadership 

Pashinyan’s victory is likely to further Armenia’s growing partnership with the United States, though Pashinyan has recently signaled a desire for a de-escalation with Moscow. 

American officials played a significant role in facilitating negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and Washington’s influence in Yerevan has expanded considerably as Armenia has sought alternatives to traditional dependence on Russia. 

This growing relationship presents an opportunity for the United States to promote not only regional stability but also fundamental human rights. 

As Armenia moves forward, U.S. policymakers should encourage the Armenian government to respect the independence of the Armenian Apostolic Church, end political interference in religious affairs, and uphold constitutional protections for religious freedom. At the same time, Washington should continue pressing for the protection of Armenian Christian heritage sites in Nagorno-Karabakh and advocate for accountability regarding religious and cultural destruction in the region. 

The Armenian people have repeatedly demonstrated their commitment to democratic governance and national resilience. Ensuring that religious communities remain free from political interference — and that displaced Armenian Christians are not forgotten — will be essential to building a stable and prosperous future. 

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