// When the Streets Spoke: The Spirit Behind Armenia’s Political Awakening //
The Spirit of the Velvet Revolution: How Armenians Reclaimed Their Voice
For many Armenians, politics has long felt like a closed loop—dominated by entrenched elites, manipulated elections, and a deep sense of civic disillusionment. “It doesn’t matter who we vote for,” one local resident told me. “The outcome is already decided.”
For years, the ruling Republican Party of Armenia held an iron grip on power, with many suspecting the democratic process had been hollowed out. That skepticism came to a head in 2018, when the nation reached a political boiling point—one that would erupt into what is now known as the Velvet Revolution.
At the heart of this revolution was a controversial power shift. On April 9, 2018, Armenia’s fourth president, Armen Sarkissian, took office. Just days later, his predecessor Serzh Sargsyan—who had served two terms as president—was appointed prime minister by the ruling party, triggering outrage. The move was widely seen as a power grab, allowing Sargsyan to bypass term limits and retain control by exploiting constitutional reforms.
Sargsyan’s decade in power had been marred by controversy. Under his leadership, Armenia’s poverty rate soared—reaching 32.4% by 2012, during the aftershocks of the global recession. His tenure also saw growing discontent over corruption, authoritarian tendencies, and opaque foreign policy dealings—particularly regarding relations with Turkey and the unresolved conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.
But on April 13, 2018, the tide began to turn. What started as small-scale protests soon evolved into a nationwide movement, led by opposition politician and former journalist Nikol Pashinyan. Armed with little more than a backpack and a megaphone, Pashinyan launched a campaign of nonviolent resistance—what he called a “people’s revolution.” His message was clear: the Armenian people were ready to take back their country.
Women played a central role in the uprising. “Our mothers, sisters, and daughters are the driving force behind this movement,” Pashinyan declared. “They have a crucial role to play in building the new Armenia.”
The movement swelled in size and intensity. Over 11 consecutive days of protests, Yerevan became the beating heart of a revolution—its streets flooded with citizens demanding accountability, democracy, and change. On April 23rd, Sargsyan finally stepped down. His resignation statement was brief and historic:
“Nikol Pashinyan was right, I was wrong. The situation has several solutions, but I will not take any of them… I am leaving office of the country's leader, of prime minister.”
The streets erupted in celebration. For the first time in decades, Armenians felt they had reclaimed agency over their future.
Just two weeks later, on May 8th, 2018, the revolution reached another milestone. Pashinyan—then an opposition lawmaker—was elected prime minister by the Armenian parliament, receiving the backing of 59 lawmakers. The night before his confirmation, he was joined on stage by rock icon Serj Tankian of System of a Down, whose activism for Armenian justice had long resonated globally. The symbolic moment injected an even greater sense of hope and momentum.
That day, Yerevan’s streets turned into impromptu festivals. Strangers danced together in Republic Square, grilled khorovats for one another, popped champagne bottles, and wore shirts bearing Pashinyan’s portrait and his now-iconic slogan: “Duxov”—an Armenian phrase that roughly translates to “Have courage” or “Be strong.”
Though the revolution electrified the country and inspired a renewed sense of national identity, the path ahead remained steep. Armenia still faced deep-rooted economic challenges, systemic corruption, and the ever-looming shadow of regional instability.
In the years since, Pashinyan’s government has faced its own tests—from political infighting and public dissatisfaction to war with Azerbaijan in 2020 and the catastrophic displacement from Nagorno-Karabakh in 2023. The hope that surged in 2018 has been tempered, but not extinguished.
“The revolution didn’t end in May,” one protester told me recently. “That was just the beginning. We still have work to do.”
The Velvet Revolution marked a rare moment in the post-Soviet world: a peaceful, people-powered transition of power. It offered a glimpse of what civic unity could achieve—and what it will take to build a truly democratic Armenia.
Hardly ever do you see a protest that brings everyone together to protest against a single issue that affects the entire country equally. The protests in Armenia were not only peaceful but also done in a manner that involved the entire community and brought people together on one issue that affects the entire country. On April 23rd the day of victory for the people was like a war victory, something comparable to VE Day during WWII.