Nikol Pashinyan has served as Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia since May 2018, leading the country through a period of significant political, economic, and social transformation.
Nikol Pashinyan studied at Yerevan State University. He began his professional career in journalism in the early 1990s and worked for several Armenian newspapers, including Dprutyun, Hayastan, Lragir, Lragir-Or, and Molorak. In 1998, he founded the daily newspaper Oragir and later became editor-in-chief of Haykakan Zhamanak, a position he held from 1999 to 2012. During his years as a journalist, Nikol Pashinyan became increasingly involved in Armenia’s political life and was recognized for his opposition activities and public advocacy.
Pashinyan entered parliamentary politics in 2012, when he was elected to the National Assembly as a representative of the Armenian National Congress Alliance. He served as Chairman of the National Assembly Ethics Committee from 2012 to 2013. In 2013, he founded the Civil Contract public-political association. In 2013, he founded the Civil Contract political movement, which subsequently developed into the Civil Contract party. In 2017, Pashinyan was elected to the National Assembly as a representative of the Yelk Alliance and became head of the Yelk parliamentary faction.
In 2018, he initiated the My Step movement, which led to Armenia’s peaceful Velvet Revolution. On May 8, 2018, he was elected Prime Minister by the National Assembly, his Civil Contract party won the 2021 elections, leading to his reappointment. In 2026, Civil Contract won the elections, and Nikol Pashinyan was appointed Prime Minister for another term.
Throughout his political career, Pashinyan has focused on democratic governance, institutional reform, economic development, and strengthening Armenia’s international relations. During his tenure, he has received several international distinctions recognizing his efforts in diplomacy, international cooperation, and peacebuilding.
Among his international honors are the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Pope Pius IX, awarded by Pope Francis in 2023; the Gold Medal of the Hellenic Parliament in 2024; Kazakhstan’s Order of the Altyn Qyran in 2025; the Zayed Award for Human Fraternity in 2026; and the Gernika Award for Peace and Reconciliation. In 2026, he was also awarded the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour of France.
