Nikol Pashinyan elected Armenia’s prime minister

The Armenian National Assembly has voted on the single candidature for the prime minister’s post, the leader of the Velvet Revolution, chair of the Civil Contract Party, MP Nikol Pashinyan.

The majority (59) of the MPs voted for him, 42 voted against. To become prime minister, Pashinyan needed a simple majority – 53 of the 105 votes.

At the previous voting, Pashinyan’s candidature was turned down by the parliament. Almost all MPs from the Republican Party of Armenia voted against appointing the leader of the Velvet Revolution as the head of the government.

In accordance with the constitution, within next 15 days a new cabinet of ministers is to be formed. Within 20 days after forming the cabinet, the prime minister is to submit the government’s action plan to the parliament for approval.

As EADaily reported earlier, Serzh Sargsyan resigned on April 23 amidst protest actions against his election.

At a rally on April 17, opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan announced beginning of the Velvet Revolution in the country. On the same day, the Armenian parliament voted for Serzh Sargsyan as prime minister. He was nominated y the ruling Republican Party.

After a referendum approved the constitutional reform in 2015, the country is to switch from the presidential to the parliamentary rule. The prime minister is to receive all powers while President Armen Sargsyan who was elected by the parliament on March 2 is to perform representative functions.