YEREVAN. – Armenia’s ruling Republican Party (RPA) is the political force that is most interested in having a strong opponent in next year’s presidential elections, Irates De Facto newspaper reports.   

“And, perhaps, this is why the ruling majority is much unperturbed by all the consultations, the discussion-accords that are taking place in the [political] opposition.

On the one hand, the RPA members state that their candidate [that is, incumbent President and RPA leader Serzh Sargsyan] has no competition; on the other hand, they themselves need a worthy opponent so as to show to the international community as to how balanced and good elections they are able to organize.  

Furthermore, according to our source, there is the matter of preserving internal parity. That is, a competitive election, an honorably achieved victory, and a legitimized power. According to our source, a government support likewise needs to be seen behind all these discussions by the opposition. In other words, the entire political field is in a search for ways to ensure consolidation and to have a strong, a relatively strong ‘presidential nominee.’           

So, there is the matter of upholding Armenia’s standing both outside and inside,” Irates De Facto writes.