2026 elections to reflect people’s will, Rubinyan says

PanARMENIAN.Net - During a briefing with reporters at the National Assembly, Deputy Speaker Ruben Rubinyan discussed the 2026 parliamentary elections, stating that the ruling Civil Contract party will campaign on several principles, centered on the ideology of a “real Armenia.”

He acknowledged that Civil Contract failed to win a majority in Gyumri both in 2021 and in the 2025 elections, saying the party has taken note of this.

According to Rubinyan, the Civil Contract party will make every effort to earn the trust of the majority in the 2026 elections, Panorama.am reports.

He added that, barring some exceptions, the past year was one of the most peaceful periods, at least on the ground. Rubinyan also pointed to positive developments in ongoing peace treaty negotiations.

When a journalist raised public disappointment, claiming Prime Minister Pashinyan failed to deliver on promises and “gave up Artsakh,” Rubinyan replied, “The same things were said before the 2021 elections. The 2026 elections will show what the people want.”

Responding to concerns from residents of the border village of Khnstsakh, who challenged Civil Contract MPs to spend nights under gunfire, Rubinyan responded, “Our MPs have no problem visiting any location and interacting with people. Our MPs from Syunik regularly do so.”

When asked whether the party’s 2026 platform would include a clause on the de-occupation of Shushi and Hadrut, Rubinyan answered negatively.

Such a clause had been present in Civil Contract’s 2021 pre-election platform.

Separately, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan addressed the National Assembly, reaffirming that Armenia’s Constitution does not contain any territorial claims against Azerbaijan, according to 1lurer.am .

He explained that only the Constitutional Court can officially interpret the Constitution, and in September 2024, the Court ruled that the regulation establishing the delimitation commissions between Armenia and Azerbaijan is in line with the Constitution. This ruling affirms that the Alma-Ata Declaration principle—recognizing post-Soviet republics’ borders—is fully compatible with the Constitution.

Hence, the Constitutional Court has definitively stated that Armenia’s Constitution contains no territorial claims against Azerbaijan or any other country—a decision that is final and legally binding.

Pashinyan emphasized that although Armenia sees elements of territorial claims in Azerbaijan’s Constitution, it has not raised the issue because the draft bilateral peace agreement contains clear language affirming that both parties have no mutual territorial claims and will not present such claims in the future.

He argued that if Azerbaijan’s constitutional concerns are genuine and not just a pretext, the most effective solution is to sign the peace agreement—because Armenia’s legal process requires the agreement to be reviewed by its Constitutional Court for compliance.

Should the Court find the agreement unconstitutional, Armenia would face a clear choice between peace and conflict. However, most experts consider this unlikely following the 2025 ruling. If the Court approves the agreement, the National Assembly would have no constitutional barriers to ratify it. In that case, Article 5.3 of the Constitution would apply, prioritizing international treaties over domestic law in case of conflict.

In conclusion, Pashinyan stated that Azerbaijan’s current position obstructs resolution of the very concerns it raises—fueling expert opinion that Baku is deliberately stalling the signing of the peace treaty.

“To avoid any misunderstanding, let me reiterate: whatever the interpretation, the way to address Azerbaijan’s concerns is not to reject the agreement, but to sign it. And since Armenia has similar concerns, the same applies to us,” said the Prime Minister.