Tatoyan said that Pashinian would again exploit their controversial track records to convince most voters to back the ruling Civil Contract party.

“Former presidents, if you really want Nikol Pashinian to lose, then you must not participate in the 2026 electoral race,” he told a news conference. “When a race is between Pashinian and the former presidents, Pashinian will always win it.”

Tatoyan, who had served as deputy justice minister and become ombudsman during Sarkisian’s 2008-2018 presidency, warned that failure to heed his appeal would mean that they are “tools in the hands of the authorities” and even “part of the ruling regime.”

There was no immediate reaction to the statement from either ex-president. But Tatoyan was criticized by Ishkhan Saghatelian, the top leader of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) party allied to Kocharian.

“Unfortunately, a new political force that has entered politics is starting out with Nikolian rhetoric,” Saghatelian told reporters. “I think that is not the way to success.”

Kocharian’s Hayastan alliance comprising Dashnaktsutyun and another opposition party finished second in the last parliamentary elections held in 2021. The 71-year-old ex-president, who had ruled Armenia from 1998-2008, made clear last month that he will run in the 2026 vote as well with a reshuffled political team.

Kocharian dismissed calls to steer clear of the upcoming race. He argued that he is not in a position to prevent other opposition groups from emerging as Pashinian’s main challengers.

For his part, Sarkisian, who is believed to have a smaller following, has still not clarified whether his Republican Party will also enter fray. He has repeatedly indicated that he believes street protests and/or a parliamentary vote of no confidence are the best way to unseat Pashinian.

Tatoyan, 43, became ombudsman in 2016 two years before the “velvet revolution” that brought Pashinian to power. Following the 2020 war in Nagorno-Karabakh, he grew increasingly critical of the current government and was accused by it of engaging in political activities in breach of his mandate. Tatoyan repeatedly denounced Pashinian’s policy towards Azerbaijan, earning praise from the Armenian opposition and its supporters.

The U.S.-educated lawyer stepped up the criticism after completing his six-year term in 2022. He announced on October 9 the establishment of his “political initiative” named the Wings of Unity. He said it will be transformed into a political party or bloc ahead of the showdown elections due in June.

The new group was joined by Davit Ananian, a vocal critic of Pashinian who headed Armenia’s State Revenue Committee from 2018-2020. No other prominent political or public figures are known to be affiliated with it at present.