What is behind Pashinyan’s conflict with the Armenian church?

A significant development in the complex Azerbaijan - Armenia scenario is the growing confrontation between Armenia’s political leadership and the Armenian Apostolic Church.

The conflict has intensified since the 2020 Second Karabakh War, and it recently came to light in an interview with AnewZ's Orkhan Amashov, who offered an insightful perspective on the matter.

Amashov, speaking on PrimeTime to Guy Shone, discussed the growing tensions between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Garegin II.

He described the situation as a significant moment in Armenia’s political and religious landscape.

Orkhan Amashov provided a detailed account of the ongoing struggle between Armenia's government and the church.

According to Amashov, the issue, while seemingly isolated, is incredibly important in the context of Armenia's wider political environment.

“The story on its own is not as significant as it may appear, but as part of the wider process, it's incredibly significant,” he said.

“There has been church-government confrontation in Armenia probably since 2020, and this is a very important moment."

Amashov outlined that the conflict began in earnest after the 2020 Second Karabakh War, during which Armenia was defeated by Azerbaijan.

This defeat seemed to trigger an even deeper divide between the political and religious spheres of Armenia.

"What happened is that the sitting Prime Minister, Nikol Pashinyan, is effectively considering the head of the church, Armenian Apostolic Church, Garegin II as a dangerous man," Amashov continued. "He wants to get rid of him. It's a power struggle."

To better understand the current situation, Amashov traced the origins of this tension, noting that when Pashinyan assumed power in 2018, his relationship with Garegin II and the Armenian Apostolic Church was functional, although not particularly friendly.

“They were not particularly liking each other. There was no great chemistry or affinity, but their relations were functional from 2018 to 2020,” Amashov explained.

“After the Second Karabakh War, where Armenia was defeated by Azerbaijan, Garegin II, the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, called on Pashinyan to resign after the war.”

Since then, Garegin II has been an outspoken critic of Pashinyan, accusing him of betraying the Armenian people and fostering revenge sentiments within society.

"He was effectively accusing Pashinyan of betraying Armenian people, effectively instilling revenge sentiments in society, describing Pashinyan as a traitor of the highest order," Amashov noted.

In the lead-up to Armenia’s 2021 snap parliamentary elections, the church's opposition to Pashinyan became even more pronounced, with Garegin II aligning himself with the opposition.

"And in 2021, when there was a snapper parliamentary election in Armenia, he was firmly on the side of the opposition and he still is," said Amashov.

Amashov also highlighted the church’s involvement in the protests against the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace process, particularly in April 2024 when both countries agreed on delimiting a 12.4-kilometre section of their shared border.

Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan, a key figure in the church closely tied to Garegin II, led the opposition protests.

"And in summer 2025, Pashinyan himself actively attacked the church and its leader, calling on him to resign and so forth," Amashov stated. "So there's an ongoing political battle."

Amashov concluded his analysis by noting that the church had been steadfast in opposing all of Pashinyan's initiatives, from the peace process with Azerbaijan to the efforts for Turkish-Armenian normalisation.

"The church is against everything that Pashinyan is doing from Azerbaijan-Armenian peace process, to a Turkish-Armenian normalisation," he added.

• Pashinyan advances roadmap to reform Armenian Apostolic Church

In his conversation with AnewZ’s Guy Shone, Orkhan Amashov provided a clear and compelling picture of the power struggle taking place between Armenia’s government and the Armenian Apostolic Church.

This ongoing battle is not just a religious dispute; it’s a political clash that shapes Armenia's future. As Prime Minister Pashinyan seeks to challenge church authority, the question remains whether the church's political power will continue to influence the country’s governance or whether Pashinyan’s vision for Armenia will prevail.

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