The election campaign in Armenia is in full swing. The authorities have employed a common election propaganda technique known as the “politics of fear.”<\/p>\n
The “politics of fear” is a strategy in which current authorities, politicians, parties, or the media use fear-inspiring and fear-spreading rhetoric. The goal is to manipulate public opinion, create “enemies”, spread fear, divide society into camps, and, against the backdrop of this polarization, mobilize their own electorate, paralyzing their opponents.<\/p>\n
The path chosen by Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, along with his team and public supporters of the government’s political and ideological agenda, reflects a consistent strategy. This approach was also evident in 2021, when Robert Kocharyan was accused of inciting war upon his return. Similarly, the current government is promoting the idea that a new war could happen if the opposition wins. There are discussions about Armenia’s potential defeat, the possible deployment of peacekeepers (likely referring to Russia), and the idea of transforming Armenia into a “gubernia.” This narrative, conveyed through propaganda, is quite compelling. According to this reasoning, if the opposition wins, it may cancel or revise the agreements reached on August 8, which could lead to renewed conflict and draw both Azerbaijan and Armenia into a new war. Prime Minister Pashinyan has even mentioned specific dates: autumn and September.<\/p>\n
The government has openly stated that it is implementing these agreements under the military threat posed by Azerbaijan. This includes removing the Declaration of Independence from the new constitution. If these actions do not take place, there is a risk of war. Importantly, if a conflict were to arise, the blame would not fall on Azerbaijan, the potential aggressor, but rather on the Republic of Armenia, specifically the opposition and its perceived “victory” in this matter.<\/p>\n
If you think the term “war blackmail” is new to our political reality, then you are not familiar with the political history of newly independent Armenia, and this article is for you.<\/p>\n
In newly independent Armenia, Vano Siradeghyan, the leader of the Karabakh movement and founder of the Armenian National Movement, first introduced the discourse in response to critics of the movement between 1988 and 1990. “Those who have come from Diaspora often ask, ‘Don’t you have fear of the border?’ We do have fears, but we are not paralyzed by fear. However, we fear dissolution and disappearance even more than that,” he stated. In the spring of 1990, elections to the Supreme Council (parliament) were expected in Soviet Armenia. In an extensive article<\/a> published on March 25 in the “HAYK” newspaper, Vano Siradeghyan addressed various criticisms regarding Armenia’s pursuit of independence. He responded to concerns about fears of independence, criticisms from Diaspora parties claiming that Armenia risks its existence by becoming independent, and worries that Turkey might attack Armenia. Siradeghyan emphasized that Russia is Armenia’s only support and defender. He also answered questions about the past and future, shared his vision, and discussed the collective fears and perspectives of both participants and leaders of the Karabakh movement.<\/p>\n In the 1996 presidential elections, incumbent president and ruling Armenian National Movement candidate Levon Ter-Petrosyan used harsh rhetoric against the opposition. The government’s slogan was powerful: “Victory, stability, progress.” A notable speech delivered by Ter-Petrosyan on August 25, 1996, at Kapan Stadium included the rallying cry: “Do not let them throw you into hell again.” The elections were scheduled for September 22, and the official presidential campaign had just begun. Ter-Petrosyan declared<\/a>: “You can choose whoever you want, but I want to say this: you may decide to support a person (probably referring to the strongest opposing candidate at that time, Vazgen Manukyan), whose supporters are present here. I promise you that tomorrow or the day after, you will lose the independence of Armenia. You will lose Karabakh, and half of you will end up in Siberia, just as happened before. Tomorrow, the enemy will come and stand at your airport once again. <\/em> 1996 was a pivotal year for Russia, marking a significant “return of the old” with the rise of Communist Party leader Gennady Zyuganov, seen as Boris Yeltsin’s main opponent and with a genuine chance of winning the election. This resurgence of Russian rhetoric and the familiar “red menace” discourse also extended to Armenia. However, the Armenian communists had long since lost credibility, and their leader, Sergey Badalyan, stood little chance of success. Aram Abrahamyan, the editor of “Aravot,” responded by stating, “This artificial division of society leaves the impression of unsuccessful Bolshevik blackmail at best”<\/em> (Aravot, August 9, 1996). In 1998, Ter-Petrosyan referred to those who executed the internal coup as “the party of war,” while he and his supporters identified themselves as “the party of peace” in his article titled “War or Peace?”<\/p>\n Using similar propaganda tactics, Robert Kocharyan and his team accused the opposition, led by Stepan Demirchyan, of being inexperienced and unprepared for conflict, claiming they posed a potential danger of war.<\/p>\n Similarly, during the 2013 presidential elections, Serzh Sargsyan and his supporters warned about the potential for war and labeled Raffi Hovannisian as inadequate. They accused Hovannisian of being adventurous and of provoking conflict when he declared his intention to recognize the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh. Sargsyan stated, “..It would be a slap in the face not only to the other negotiating party but also to the co-chairs. This is especially true when insulting words are directed at the Minsk co-chairs and the leaders of those countries. What if, suddenly, a war breaks out? We would be fighting alone against the whole world.”<\/em><\/p>\n Likewise, in 2018, the Republican Party of Armenia, led by Serzh Sargsyan and his associates, accused Pashinyan of being anti-Russian, surrendering Karabakh, and provoking war. They claimed that Serzh Sargsyan was the best negotiator, arguing that his departure increased the risk of conflict.<\/p>\n In summary, this pre-election tactic, known as the “politics of fear,”<\/strong> has been a recurring theme throughout history. Those who employ this strategy present the public with a dilemma: either re-elect them to maintain “stability and security,” or choose the opposition and face the threat of “war and chaos.”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The election campaign in Armenia is in full swing. The authorities have employed a common election propaganda technique known as the “politics of fear.” The “politics of fear” is a strategy in which current authorities, politicians, parties, or the media use fear-inspiring and fear-spreading rhetoric. 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\nPlease, it is in your hands. If you want that fate, you can choose it. ..Do you really want to face that same fate? Don’t allow these criminals from the past to throw you into hell again. Thank you.”<\/em><\/p>\n