His imprisonment increased his popularity among opposition supporters, who viewed him as a political prisoner. In 2012, Pashinyan was elected to Armenia’s National Assembly. The following year, he became one of the founders of the Civil Contract Party, which later formed the core of the My Step Alliance. His popularity continued to grow because of his advocacy for transparency, anti-corruption measures, and democratic governance.
n April 2018, Pashinyan organized peaceful nationwide protests against former President Serzh Sargsyan’s decision to remain in power by becoming prime minister after constitutional reforms. The demonstrations, known as the Armenian Velvet Revolution, attracted hundreds of thousands of participants across the country. After weeks of peaceful protests and civil disobedience, Sargsyan resigned, and on May 8, 2018, Parliament elected Pashinyan as Armenia’s new Prime Minister.
