Parliamentary Elections 2026

In the lead-up to the 2026 parliamentary elections

Fact-Checking and FIMI Monitoring Mission

In the lead-up to the 2026 parliamentary elections, we collaborate with the inFact fact-checking network in Armenia and PopUp Newsroom, supporting media outlets in conducting fact-checking and countering disinformation and hybrid warfare narratives. At the same time, we continuously monitor Armenia’s information environment and publish weekly reports analyzing emerging narratives, trends, and developments.

Monitoring Methodology

The monitoring was conducted by the Media Diversity Institute.

1. Purpose of the Monitoring

The purpose of the monitoring is to examine the Armenian information environment and its development trends in the context of the 2026 parliamentary elections.

The study focuses on mapping messages that may influence the electoral process and identifying patterns in their dissemination.

The monitoring primarily focuses on quantitative data related to information circulation, which helps reveal the dynamics of topics, their significance, and the scope of their influence.

2. Methodology

Within the framework of the monitoring, 10 thematic directions were developed, representing the most visible and widely discussed developments in Armenia. These themes take into account regional developments, Armenia’s role in international relations, and social, political, economic, human rights, and democracy related events taking place at the domestic level.

During the monitoring process, the following factors related to the 10 thematic directions were collected and analyzed on a weekly basis:

Dissemination trends, including levels of activity, decline, and fluctuations
The platforms through which the messages were circulated
The actors who published or promoted these messages

Each week’s report was compared with results from previous periods, highlighting trends and patterns in the overall information environment.

The weekly monitoring results assessed:

A) Which thematic direction or narrative was the most active
B) Which actors most frequently disseminated these narratives
C) Whether there was an increase or decrease in the volume of dissemination
D) On which platforms the circulation of narratives was most concentrated

The results of the monitoring are presented in the form of weekly analytical brief reports, ensuring temporal comparability and enabling the observation of trends and dynamics over time.

2.1. Monitoring Framework

The monitoring is based on 10 predefined narratives:

Armed Forces – Messages that portray the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia negatively or attempt to discredit them.
Borders and Trade – Claims related to Armenia’s borders, import export dynamics, and economic dependence.
Church and State – Narratives surrounding the relationship between the Armenian Apostolic Church and the government.
Elections and the Central Election Commission – Claims expressing distrust toward the electoral process and the Central Election Commission or alleging election fraud.
Energy and Infrastructure – Disinformation claims related to electricity networks, energy security, and infrastructure.
Europe and Armenia – Narratives concerning European institutions and the role of the European Union.
Existential Threat – Claims presenting the election of a particular political force as an existential threat to the state or national security.
Foreign Influence – Messages portraying political actors or parties as agents of foreign influence.
Peace and TRIPP – Narratives related to the peace process and the so called “Trump route”.
Discrediting Opponents – Narratives aimed at discrediting political opponents, accusing them of crimes, treason, or conspiracies.

2.2. Data Collection

The data was collected using the LetsData digital monitoring tool. The analysis is based on a predefined list of 250 selected sources (actors), which includes:

Armenian media actors and media outlets (95)
Anonymous and or unidentified information websites
Political figures, political parties, political actors, and affiliated individuals, including representatives of the Government of Armenia (39), members of the National Assembly (49), candidates in the parliamentary elections, and representatives of extra parliamentary political forces (66)

Data was collected from four platforms: Facebook, YouTube, Telegram, and TikTok. During the monitoring process, both Armenian language and Russian language publications were analyzed.

2.3. Clategorization

The collected publications were categorized according to the thematic directions mentioned above, based on the content they addressed and their main message. Publications that contained more than one narrative and or thematic direction were accordingly included in multiple categories.

2.4. Timeframe

Start of monitoring: February 1, 2026
Publication of monitoring results: weekly reports
End of monitoring: June 30, 2026

2.5. Data Quality Assurance

The data quality assurance process aimed to maintain the accuracy and completeness of the information collected during the monitoring.

In all cases, the automated data collection and report preparation were carried out using artificial intelligence powered tools.

The LetsData digital monitoring tool was used for collecting data from primary sources, while Claude, NotebookLM, and Gemini were used for generating the reports.

The combined use of these tools made it possible to process large volumes of data, ensuring both the speed of data processing and the efficiency of the analysis. The automated collection process was complemented by human oversight to further verify the reliability of the data.

2.6. Data Archiving and Storage

All collected and processed data were organized and stored in a secure digital environment with restricted access. Archiving was carried out according to a predefined structure, ensuring the possibility of future use, comparative analysis, and data referencing.

Weekly Reports

If there are no materials available in the English section of the website, please refer to the Armenian version using automatic translation.

Fact-Checking materials

If there are no materials available in the English section of the website, please refer to the Armenian version using automatic translation.