Information Environment of Armenia and Dynamics of Narratives – April 6-12

Monitoring Analytical Report

1. Context

During the second week of April 2026, Armenia’s information landscape was shaped by domestic political tensions and pre-election realignments, with developments related to the discrediting of opponents, external influence, and electoral processes taking center stage.

The week was marked by discussions surrounding the pre-election program of the “Civil Contract” party, particularly the provisions concerning reforms of the Armenian Apostolic Church. This triggered a strong response from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin and led to a renewed escalation of the “Church-State” narrative.

2. Volume of Narratives and Content

2.1 Analysis of Narratives and Their Frequency

Key trends and narratives of the week:

1. Discrediting of Opponents (420 publications) – Within this narrative, the central focus was on the protest actions held in front of the National Assembly, as well as the Prime Minister’s statement regarding former members of the Civil Contract party, who, according to Nikol Pashinyan, “became opposition figures due to being prosecuted.”

2. External Influence (335 publications) – The information space continued to circulate the thesis that Armenia has become a point of confrontation between major power centers. It was claimed that operatives of Western intelligence services are present in Armenia and are engaged in recruitment activities.

3. Borders and Trade (317 publications) -The key topic of the week was Iran’s role in Armenia’s foreign trade. The ACSES analytical center and other sources emphasized that a potential war involving Iran could jeopardize 9% of Armenia’s trade turnover as well as its transit routes.

Analysis of Other Narratives

4. Energy and Infrastructure (279 publications) – Reports related to the nuclear power plant, along with disinformation regarding debts attributed to the Electric Networks of Armenia, were at the center of disinformation flows.
5. Existential Threat (241 publications) – This narrative evolved around concerns of potential loss of statehood and security uncertainty. Gallup surveys indicated a high level of public concern regarding security issues, with nearly half of respondents (45.8%) identifying security as the primary issue at present.
6. Peace and TRIPP (235 publications) – Discussions on this topic continued following the U.S. Department of State’s reaffirmation of its commitment to the TRIPP project. In the context of peacebuilding initiatives, another meeting between representatives of Armenian and Azerbaijani civil society took place in Azerbaijan on April 10–12, with the participation of Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan.
7. Elections and the Central Electoral Commission (227 publications) – Within the pre-election context, both attempts at forming new alliances and the collapse of previously announced partnerships were observed. In particular, Paruyr Hayrikyan, leader of the “National Self-Determination Union,” confirmed participation in the elections jointly with Vardan Ghukasyan, though the format remains unclear. At the same time, reports circulated about a potential alliance between the “DOK” party and Stepan Demirchyan, which was publicly denied by the latter. Meanwhile, several political forces clarified their intention to run independently. The Armenian National Congress announced it would not join alliances and would participate independently, noting unsuccessful attempts to cooperate with Samvel Karapetyan’s “Strong Armenia” initiative. Additionally, the “Wings of Unity” initiative and “Hayakve” have terminated their cooperation. Overall, the pre-election landscape appears to be forming under conditions of instability. In this context, the meeting between the Chair of the Central Electoral Commission and the Russian Ambassador also became a subject of discussion, particularly in relation to potential election oversight.
8. Armed Forces (204 publications) – Discussions around the army continued both in informational and political spheres. The Ministry of Defense labeled statements by MP Hayk Sargsyan regarding the situation in the army as disinformation, attempting to counter negative perceptions. At the same time, remarks by Andranik Kocharyan, Chair of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defense and Security, sparked significant public reaction. Referring to his son’s service, he stated: “My son is highly qualified; if you had his level of knowledge, you wouldn’t serve either.” The statement triggered criticism and speculation, evolving into a broader debate on military service. In response to public backlash, Kocharyan later issued a clarification and apology.
9. Europe and Armenia (183 publications) – Narratives were circulated claiming that Armenia could never become a member of the European Union. In parallel, efforts intensified to question the effectiveness of the EU Monitoring Mission, portraying it as ineffective and “spending time in leisure venues” rather than fulfilling its mandate.
10. Church and State (171 publications) – Tensions between political and religious institutions intensified. The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin responded to provisions in the Civil Contract party’s pre-election program concerning the Church, including proposed reforms, revisions to its charter, and the holding of new elections, characterizing them as interference in the Church’s self-governance.

2.2. Analysis of Narrative Intersections

The most impactful intersection of the week occurred between the “Church and State” and “Elections” narratives. The Civil Contract party’s pre-election program, which includes provisions on church reform, was perceived as an attempt by the state to intrude into the spiritual domain in order to gain votes or to advance an agenda allegedly conflicting with national interests.

2.3. Platform Analysis

• Telegram (955 publications) – Served as the primary platform during the monitoring period, particularly for the “Peace and TRIPP” (138) and “Energy” (112) narratives.
• Facebook (758 publications) – Was most active in relation to “Discrediting of Opponents” (165) and “Elections” (95).
• YouTube (643 publications) – Dominated by the “External Influence” (111) and “Existential Threat” (95) narratives.
• TikTok (287 publications) – Used primarily for short-form content related to “Discrediting of Opponents” (55) and “Existential Threat” (44).

2.4. Actor Analysis

• Armenian media platforms and outlets – This group активно disseminated narratives questioning the effectiveness of the EU Monitoring Mission, portraying it as an entity failing to fully perform its functions.
• Anonymous and/or unidentified information websites – Spread false and manipulative information regarding payments to the Electric Networks of Armenia.
• Political actors and stakeholders – The Civil Contract party (through its pre-election program) and the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin (through official statements) emerged as the primary drivers of the week’s political narratives.

3. Temporal Dynamics

4. Conclusions and Key Findings

1. Church Reform as a Political “Flashpoint” – The inclusion of church-related issues in the Civil Contract party’s pre-election program provided the opposition with an additional basis to label the authorities as “anti-church” and “anti-national.”
2. Economic Impact of the Iran Factor – The information space reflected discussions on the direct impact a potential conflict involving Iran could have on Armenia’s economy, highlighting the country’s logistical vulnerabilities.
3. Persistence of “Energy Disinformation” –  The recurring disinformation surrounding the Electric Networks of Armenia and the nuclear power plant indicates that the energy sector is being deliberately targeted as a source of public concern.
4. The “Leisure” Narrative – Negative narratives about the EU presence have taken on a new framing, portraying observers as a group engaged in leisure activities rather than fulfilling their mandate.

The monitoring was conducted by the “Media Diversity Institute” (MDI) informational NGO.

The report was developed in accordance with the methodology for monitoring the 2026 parliamentary elections in the Republic of Armenia¹. Data collection and report generation were carried out using AI-powered tools: the Letsdata digital monitoring tool was used for collecting primary source data, while Claude, NotebookLM, and Gemini were used for report generation.

The analysis is based on a pre-selected list of 250 sources (i.e., actors). The process was accompanied by professional oversight, involving a monitoring specialist and a data collection specialist, to ensure reliability.

1. Monitoring Methodology – https://mdi.am/en/parliamentary-elections-2026 ↩︎