Pandemonium broke out in Armenia’s parliament after a routine debate on the appointment of a member to the Audit Chamber degenerated into a bloody brawl over a controversial proposal for a “Ministry of Sex.”
According to The Print, the fight was triggered when ruling Civil Contract MP, Taron Chakhoyan, mounted the podium and revisited a controversial remark made in February by Sargis Karapetyan — cousin of opposition leader Narek Karapetyan and son of Russian-Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan.
On a podcast discussing Armenia’s demographic decline and low birth rate, Sargis, when asked about creating a Ministry of Sex, had said: “In a strong Armenia there will be no dissatisfied women. As far as I know, you can’t solve demographic problems without sex.”
The opposition Strong Armenia Party had earlier promised to establish such a ministry, claiming that sexual dissatisfaction was driving activism by middle-aged women.
Chakhoyan demanded that the opposition apologise to women for the remark.
“Mr Karapetyan, it is not my fault that your entire extended family is involved in politics, including your uncle, your father, and your cousin, who even tried to open a ministry in our country,” he said.
“It is not my fault that he wanted to open a ministry that would satisfy all women. You have still not apologised to women for that.”
That comment infuriated Narek Karapetyan, who leads the opposition Strong Armenia faction. According to Armenpress, Karapetyan shouted from his seat, calling Chakhoyan “ara” — a dismissive familiar form of address. 
What started as a war of words quickly turned physical. Speaker Ruben Rubinyan said Karapetyan approached the podium and attempted to hit Chakhoyan. Opposition MP Garnik Davtyan then allegedly struck Chakhoyan, prompting lawmakers from both sides to rush in, shoving, grabbing collars and trading punches.
Footage from the live broadcast captured the chaos. One lawmaker removed his jacket and placed it over a wooden barrier before joining the fray. In the most dramatic moment, Deputy Speaker Vahagn Aleksanyan was seen hurling a red leather chair toward opposition MPs, while Chakhoyan poured water over Davtyan.
Speaker Rubinyan initially refused to suspend the session or cut the live feed.
“I am deliberately not announcing a recess so that everyone can see this. The session will continue like this. Let everyone see,” he said.
He eventually called a recess as the brawl spilled into the corridor.
Ambulances were later called to the parliament building. Opposition MP Andranik Gevorgyan was seen bleeding from the nose, while fellow MP Ruben Mkhitaryan’s clothes were torn in the scuffle.
This is the third mass brawl in Armenia’s parliament in less than a month, underscoring rising tensions between Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party and the opposition.
Prime Minister Pashinyan openly backed his party’s lawmakers and justified the violence.
“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 at his weekly briefing.
Asked specifically, “With a chair?” he replied: “If necessary, we can do it with a chair, too. They need to know their place.”
“Whether with a chair, with a table, or with something else, it was proportionate and right,” Pashinyan added, mocking the opposition’s fighting skills: “I assumed they were at least physically strong. Apparently, they’re not.”
