Armenia’s Prime Minister Clashes with Church Leader Over Coup Claims

 

A bitter feud has erupted between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and the country’s top clerics, particularly Catholicos Karekin II, the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church. The dispute, deeply personal in nature, has exposed rifts in Armenia’s society and escalated to an unprecedented public confrontation.

Pashinyan accused the Church of harboring a "criminal-oligarchic clergy" linked to coup plots and terrorism. He even claimed the Catholicos fathered a child, breaching his vow of celibacy, and declared his intent to “liberate” the Church from what he called anti-Christian forces. The Church, in turn, denounced Pashinyan’s statements as part of an "anti-clerical campaign" threatening national unity and identity.

The conflict is rooted partly in fallout from the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war, in which Armenia suffered a crushing defeat. The Church blamed Pashinyan, who countered that past regimes   many of which had close Church ties   were to blame. Tensions boiled over when security forces attempted to detain a senior cleric, Archbishop Mikael Adjapakhyan, from Church grounds on June 27, sparking public outrage.

Observers stress that this is not a state-versus-religion conflict but a personal and political clash. Still, many Armenians, for whom the Church is central to national identity, view Pashinyan’s actions as deeply offensive. Historically, the Church has helped Armenians retain cultural identity under various foreign rulers. For some, any attack on the Church feels like an attack on Armenian statehood itself.

The clash between Pashinyan and the Armenian Church reflects deeper tensions in Armenia's post-Karabakh political landscape. Pashinyan rose to power in 2018 by toppling the long-dominant “Karabakh clan,” a network of ex-leaders with close Church ties. After Armenia’s defeat in the 2020 war and Azerbaijan’s full recapture of Nagorno-Karabakh by 2023, domestic divisions intensified.

Pashinyan’s recent moves accusing clerics of coup plots and arresting several figures, including billionaire tycoon Samvel Karapetyan appear to be a strategy to prevent foreign, especially Russian, influence in Armenia’s upcoming 2026 elections. The alleged coup was supposedly set to take place on September 21, Armenia’s Independence Day.

Despite backlash, Pashinyan remains a key player in regional diplomacy. Both Azerbaijan and Turkey see him as the most “predictable” leader in Armenia, though negotiations remain difficult. Analysts say Pashinyan isn’t seeking revenge for past conflicts but aims to reset Armenia’s direction, even if that means marginalizing old elites and the Church.

His popularity has plummeted to under 20%, yet he may still win the next election not because of strong public support, but due to a fractured and discredited opposition, mostly composed of former Karabakh-linked politicians. Many Armenians distrust these old elites even more than they criticize Pashinyan.

For now, the Church remains defiant, vowing to resist what it calls a campaign to silence and dismantle it. But the growing power struggle highlights how Armenia's internal divisions, unresolved war trauma, and weak political institutions are combining to create a volatile mix ahead of key national elections.

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