According to a report by Hraparak, an unspoken competition for the presidential seat has flared up in Armenia among representatives of the ruling Civil Contract party. The source reports that this standoff is due to reports of incumbent President Vahagn Khachaturyan's significant health problems, which presumably will prevent him from completing his term in office.
There is currently no confirmation of this information from other sources or official authorities.
The newspaper names three main candidates who may vie for the post of President of Armenia: Chief of Staff of the Government Arayik Harutyunyan, Speaker of Parliament Alen Simonyan, and Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan.
The newspaper notes that Harutyunyan previously ran for the position in 2022, but failed to secure sufficient support within the ruling elite.
Vahagn Khachaturyan was elected president in 2022 for a seven-year term ending in 2029.
The president of Armenia is elected by the country's National Assembly. Under the country's current parliamentary system, the president is largely a symbolic figure and serves ceremonial functions. The bulk of political power rests with the parliament and the prime minister.
