Armenia’s National Assembly descended into a physical brawl on Thursday, with lawmakers exchanging punches and kicks and a chair being thrown across the chamber, following a dispute over a controversial remark about a proposed ‘Ministry of Sex’.
The clash erupted during a routine debate on the appointment of a member to the Audit Chamber.
Ruling Civil Contract MP Taron Chakhoyan, speaking from the podium, brought up a controversial comment made in February by Sargis Karapetyan, the cousin of opposition leader Narek Karapetyan and son of Russian-Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan.
During a podcast discussing Armenia’s declining population and low birth rate, Sargis was asked about a proposal to establish a Ministry of Sex.
‘In a strong Armenia there will be no dissatisfied women. As far as I know, you can’t solve demographic problems without sex,’ he said.
The Strong Armenia Party had previously proposed establishing such a ministry, arguing that sexual dissatisfaction was contributing to activism among middle-aged women.
Chakhoyan said Karapetyan had yet to apologise to women over the remark, prompting an angry response from Narek, who leads the opposition Strong Armenia faction.
According to Armenpress, Karapetyan shouted ‘ara’ at Chakhoyan from his seat, using a dismissive and familiar form of address.
Verbal confrontation turns into physical fight
The exchange quickly escalated into violence.
Karapetyan approached the podium and, according to Speaker Ruben Rubinyan, attempted to hit Chakhoyan.
Opposition MP Garnik Davtyan then allegedly struck Chakhoyan, triggering a wider scuffle involving lawmakers from both sides.
MPs were seen shoving one another, grabbing collars and exchanging punches.
The most dramatic moment, captured during the live broadcast, came when Deputy Speaker Vahagn Aleksanyan threw a chair towards opposition lawmakers.
Rubinyan initially refused to suspend the sitting or cut the broadcast, urging MPs to calm down.
However, he eventually called a recess as the fight spread into the corridor.
Ambulances were called to the parliament building. Opposition MP Andranik Gevorgyan was seen bleeding from the nose, while fellow MP Ruben Mkhitaryan had his clothes torn during the confrontation.
Pashinyan defends lawmakers’ actions
The incident marked the third mass brawl in Armenia’s parliament in less than a month, highlighting growing tensions between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s ruling Civil Contract party and the opposition.
Pashinyan defended his party’s lawmakers following the incident.
‘I welcome and support the actions of MPs from the Civil Contract faction. Throwing a chair or something else was an appropriate and justified response,’ he said during his weekly briefing.
When asked specifically whether throwing a chair was justified, he replied: ‘If necessary, we can do it with a chair, too. They need to know their place.’
Rubinyan had earlier explained his decision not to suspend the sitting, saying he wanted the public to witness what was happening.
‘I am deliberately not announcing a recess so that everyone can see this. The session will continue like this. Let everyone see,’ he said.
Pashinyan later reiterated his support for the actions, saying: ‘Whether with a chair, with a table, or with something else, it was proportionate and right.’
He also questioned the opposition lawmakers’ physical strength.
‘I assumed they were at least physically strong. Apparently, they’re not,’ he said.
