As of 25 November, the cabinet of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has the highest women’s representation in the country’s history, with over one-third of ministerial portfolios being held by women. The change came after Pashinyan forced six ministers to resign on 18 November, citing his dissatisfaction with reforms to the country’s judiciary and law enforcement bodies. In 2019 the country had only one female cabinet minister. A gender quota for the National Assembly that passed in 2020 contributed to women’s representation in Parliament rising from 22.7 per cent in that year to an all-time high of 36.4 per cent as of 2024. The appointments are not without controversy, as critics allege Pashinyan is only attempting to burnish his image ahead of elections due to be called sometime next year. 

Sources: Eurasianet, Radio Azatutyun 

Armenia formally agreed to transfer control of four abandoned villages to Azerbaijan on 19 April as part of ongoing peace negotiations between the two countries. The abandoned villages have been under Armenian military occupation since 1991 and neighbour populated Armenian villages, whose residents have raised concerns over security and the ability to maintain their livelihoods when the transfers go ahead. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has argued the unilateral handover is necessary to preserve Armenia’s security, but the announcement was met with significant opposition criticism and large public protests beginning on 25 April. Protesters hold that the unilateral handover has instead diminished national security, given Azerbaijan’s recent claims that much of Armenia is actually historical “western Azerbaijan.” Tens of thousands were reportedly protesting in the capital of Yerevan by 9 May, calling for Pashinyan’s resignation.

Sources: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Radio Azatutyun, International IDEA, Jam News

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has suggested, under significant political pressure and threats of military action from Azerbaijan, that Armenia would hand over four abandoned Azerbaijani villages that have been under its control since the early 1990s. Pashinyan argues a handover is necessary to head off Azerbaijani military aggression, and domestic opposition argues the handover only weakens Armenia’s national security and heightens the risk of conflict. There is currently no specific timeline of when the handover of de jure Azerbaijani territory to Azerbaijan would occur.

Sources: OC Media, Eurasianet  

Two separate journalistic investigations found a pattern of large campaign donations from individuals who professed no knowledge of ever donating to the ruling Civil Contract Party. Many of the individuals also had insufficient financial means to make the payments or were connected to wealthy businessmen and senior government officials. Civil Contract reportedly raised AMD 506.5 million (USD 1.25 million) for last year’s municipal elections, and individual donors contacted by journalists frequently either refused to speak on the record or claimed to not have made a donation at all. Some who did acknowledge making a donation had given the party an amount several times greater than their annual incomes. Local NGOs and activists have demanded a criminal investigation, but the Office of the Prosecutor-General has responded that no unusual activity has taken place and said it will not file charges.

Sources: OCCRP, Radio Azatutyun 

After abruptly leaving a municipal coalition agreement in the country’s second largest city of Gyumri and replacing a mayor in the town of Alaverdi on 5-6 December, the ruling Civil Contract party has been accused by domestic NGOs and media of undermining the functioning of local democratic institutions that it does not control. Police answerable to the national government have allegedly been used to pressure opposition public officials and interfere in local governments, Armenian rights organizations accused Civil Contract of using blackmail and behind-the-scenes pressure to force local officials to abandon governing coalitions and support its candidates, and the party’s representatives have boycotted proceedings and abandoned coalitions without explanation, paralyzing local governments. Civil Contract was previously accused by opponents and civil society organizations of carrying out similar campaigns in the capital Yerevan and in Vanadzor, the country’s third largest city.

Sources: OC Media, CivilNet, Azatutyun (1), Azatutyun (2), Hetq