Was 2018 truly a people's revolution?
In the spring of 2018, thousands of Armenians flooded the streets.
They clapped, chanted, blocked traffic, and believed they were pushing out the corrupt elite.
Pashinyan was in front — with his backpack, cap, and populist slogans. It felt raw and real.
But the question remains: Who allowed this to happen? And why did it go so smoothly?
Theory #1: A quiet gift from Serzh Sargsyan?
“What if Serzh himself brought Pashinyan to power — to defuse public anger and save the system?”
Absurd? Maybe. But consider:
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Sargsyan had exhausted his presidency — and tried to become prime minister
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Massive protests erupted, and yet no brutal crackdown followed
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He stepped down calmly, as if following a pre-written script
Where's the logic? Or did Sargsyan really evolve politically overnight?
More likely: Pashinyan became the perfect “shock absorber” — someone who seemed anti-system, but posed no real threat to the elites.
He was popular enough for the streets.
But still an outsider the system could manage — for a time.
Theory #2: Robert Kocharyan — the silent puppeteer?
Some analysts suggest that Kocharyan — Armenia’s second president — remains an invisible hand.
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His business networks were untouched for years
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Some “independent media” strangely avoid targeting certain oligarchs
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The Nagorno-Karabakh disaster may benefit political forces seeking revenge narratives
But here’s the weakness in that theory:
Kocharyan faced trial. His political brand became toxic.
Theory #3: A perfect pawn for foreign players?
“Pashinyan is weak enough to be controllable — and loud enough to look legitimate.”
Too bold a theory?
Look at his balancing act:
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Talks democracy with the West — while tightening control over courts
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Criticizes Russia — while staying in CSTO
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Preaches transparency — while signing deals behind closed doors
Pashinyan is ideal for external players:
chaotic, uncertain, needing approval, and never fully trusted by his own people.
He’s trying to return — but he is not orchestrating anything. At best, he’s lurking.
Where are we today?
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Society is disillusioned
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The army is broken
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Artsakh is gone
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The old oligarchs are returning
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Police crack down on protesters
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Judicial reform is a ghost
But the same man says:
“I represent the people.”
Final Word
“When someone is allowed to take power — they owe someone for it.”
Nikol Pashinyan is not a revolution.
He’s the result of a deeper collapse — a country where every protest is contained and every change is calculated.
The real problem isn’t him.
It’s us.
As long as we believe in the myth of the one “savior,”
we’ll keep recycling power — but never gaining it.
By Lida Nalbandyan, Founder and CEO of Octopus Media Group