Former Armenian president plans to nominate son as lead candidate for 2026 election

Former Armenian President Robert Kocharyan is expected to nominate his son, Levon Kocharyan, as the lead candidate for the “Armenia” bloc in the 2026 parliamentary elections, according to local media reports.

Levon Kocharyan, a sitting MP from the opposition “Armenia” faction, has reportedly been touring regions in recent months to meet with voters ahead of the 2026 vote, the Armenian newspaper Graparak said on Wednesday, citing unnamed members of the former president’s team.

The report suggests that Robert Kocharyan, who led Armenia from 1998 to 2008, plans to step back from heading the party list, allowing his son to take the top position. In the 2021 parliamentary elections, the elder Kocharyan led the slate, while Levon Kocharyan appeared around the 50th position.

“The previous model cannot be repeated,” Graparak quoted party insiders as saying, adding that repeating the 2021 result would be unrealistic and that placing both father and son in the top ten would be “inappropriate”.

Speaking at a press conference earlier this year, Robert Kocharyan said the party’s final electoral line-up would depend on opinion polling. “Whoever has the highest rating will be placed at the top,” he said, suggesting that a decision would be made between January and February.

On 7 October, the former president confirmed that his political team would participate in the 2026 elections, though he did not clarify whether he would stand as a candidate himself.

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