Nikol Pashinyan

Nikol Pashinyan, born on June first, nineteen seventy-five, is a prominent Armenian politician, journalist, writer, and activist. He has been serving as the sixteenth and current prime minister of Armenia since May eighth, two thousand eighteen. Pashinyan's political journey began in journalism, where he founded his own newspaper in nineteen ninety-eight, which was unfortunately shut down a year later due to libel issues. His career took a significant turn when he was sentenced to one year in prison for defamation against then Minister of National Security, Serzh Sargsyan.

Throughout his career, Pashinyan has been a vocal critic of Armenia's political landscape, particularly targeting the administrations of Robert Kocharyan and Serzh Sargsyan. He was a dedicated supporter of Armenia's first president, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, and played a crucial role in the post-election protests following the controversial two thousand eight presidential election. His involvement in these protests led to a conviction for organizing mass disorders, resulting in a seven-year prison sentence, from which he was released in May two thousand eleven as part of a general amnesty.

After distancing himself from Ter-Petrosyan, Pashinyan established the Civil Contract party and formed the Way Out Alliance, which achieved nearly eight percent of the vote in the two thousand seventeen parliamentary elections. His leadership during the two thousand eighteen Armenian Revolution was pivotal, leading to the resignation of Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan. Following this, Pashinyan was elected as acting prime minister and subsequently won snap parliamentary elections in December two thousand eighteen, marking a significant moment in Armenia's democratic evolution.

Pashinyan's tenure has not been without challenges. He led Armenia through the Second Nagorno-Karabakh War, which resulted in substantial losses for the Armenian side. The aftermath of the war saw Pashinyan facing severe criticism and accusations of betrayal, particularly following the displacement of ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh in two thousand twenty-three. Despite these challenges, he managed to maintain his position and even announced his resignation in April two thousand twenty-one to facilitate snap elections, which his party ultimately won, securing more than half of the votes.