Armenian Parliament Session to Elect New Prime Minister; Nikol Pashinyan is the Sole Official Candidate

The Armenian Parliament will vote on Tuesday, April 30, regarding the election of a new Prime Minister following two weeks of widespread public protests that led to the resignation of Serzh Sargsyan from the Prime Minister's position. Mr. Sargsyan was President of Armenia for 10 years and increased the powers of the Prime Minister's office during the last year of his presidency through constitutional changes. Just a week after leaving the presidency, the Parliament elected him as Prime Minister. Accused of 'attempting to cling to power indefinitely,' he ultimately resigned on April 22 amid rising public protests. Nikol Pashinyan, the leader of the opposition in Armenia, has called on the people to gather in front of Parliament during the election of Sargsyan's replacement. He and his supporters previously announced that if Parliament does not vote for Pashinyan as Prime Minister, they will continue public protests. The Armenian news agency 'Armenpress' quoted Edward Sharmazanov, Deputy Speaker of the Armenian Parliament, stating that the ruling party wants to hold the vote on Tuesday after becoming familiar with Pashinyan's program. Meanwhile, officials from the ruling party have warned that the election of the Prime Minister must be conducted in a calm atmosphere and within the framework of the law. Pashinyan is the only official candidate for the highest position in the country according to Armenia's new law and has asked the public to gather in front of Parliament to celebrate his 'victory.' He stated that he has a 'high chance' of winning: 'We will have a celebration and we will celebrate it.' However, the ruling Republican Party currently holds 58 out of 105 seats in Parliament, casting doubt on Pashinyan's chances of victory. Ruling party officials say that Republican representatives will vote 'unitedly.' Meanwhile, the opposition coalition known as 'Elk' (Exit) holds only 47 seats in Parliament. Pashinyan's victory would mark a turning point in the power structure of Armenia. He has warned that if representatives do not vote for him, he will lead a nationwide protest. Some protesters are concerned about the fate of the election. Eric Arthurinian, a 47-year-old protester, says that 'the people will not accept anyone other than Pashinyan. He must become Prime Minister, or else the protests will continue, and no one can predict the consequences.'