Armenia's Democratic Backsliding Overlooked by Western Powers

Armenia's government has significantly eroded democratic norms since Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan's 2018 Velvet Revolution, according to analysis in The Armenian Weekly. Recent concerns include politically motivated detention of opposition figures, prosecutions of journalists and critics, and an unprecedented confrontation with the Armenian Apostolic Church over state affairs.

Controversial electoral law amendments were rushed through with minimal scrutiny ahead of June parliamentary elections. The government has also blurred lines between party and state, deploying state resources for ruling party benefit and reportedly using intelligence services to surveil opponents.

The EU and U.S. have largely overlooked these developments, prioritizing geopolitical objectives of pulling Armenia away from Russian influence. Western leaders visiting Armenia recently offered financial and defense cooperation without publicly addressing democratic concerns, while the Armenian government has leveraged this rivalry by portraying domestic critics as "foreign interference" agents.