Pashinyan’s Party Outlines Church Reform in Election Programme
Yerevan, Armenia – Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has continued to detail key points of his Civil Contract party’s election programme, focusing on a significant reform of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The programme, released for the upcoming 2026 parliamentary elections, proposes the removal of the current Catholicos, Garegin II, as the “de facto head of the Church.”
Pashinyan stated that the party views the election process as a “judicial process,” asserting the people’s role as the ultimate authority in determining the Church’s relationship with the state. He emphasized that the Church must operate independently and cannot function as a “state within a state,” a position he deems unacceptable.
The proposed reforms outline a plan including the appointment of a locum tenens, the adoption of a Church statute ensuring financial transparency and preserving traditions, and ultimately, the election of a new Catholicos. The party argues that recent actions by the Church’s leadership have distanced believers and allowed “external forces” to influence its role. The Civil Contract party asserts that Armenia is a secular state and that religious organizations should operate separately.
They emphasize respect for freedom of religion and belief for all citizens, arguing that these reforms are intended to “serve the full restoration of constitutional order.” Pashinyan has previously stated that the current Catholicos “doesn’t need a catholicos who answers to him, but one who refuses to answer to a senior lieutenant of a foreign intelligence service.”
The Holy See has already condemned the programme, describing it as “unlawful campaign promises” and a violation of the Church’s right to self-governance. The Mother See of Etchmiadzin has voiced concerns that the reforms represent “coercion” and disregard fundamental principles of freedom of conscience. The party’s programme highlights a key priority: “renewing the Armenian Apostolic Church.” The party believes the Church must be removed from political activity, focusing instead on its spiritual mission.
The election process is seen as a critical step in determining the future direction of the state and the Church’s role within it.
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This proposal to restructure the church’s role in Armenia is a necessary step towards a more modern and accountable governance.