Opposition Leader in Armenia Calls for Halt to Protests on Thursday

Nikol Pashinyan, the opposition leader in Armenia, called for a pause in nationwide protests on Wednesday, May 1, to negotiate with the ruling party regarding the prime ministerial position. According to Reuters, after a day of widespread protests in Armenia that led to the closure of streets, roads, and railways, a senior official from the ruling party stated that there is a possibility the ruling party may support Nikol Pashinyan's candidacy for the prime minister position in next week's parliamentary session. Reuters notes that Pashinyan's premiership could bring significant changes to Armenia's political landscape, raising concerns in Russia. Armenia is considered a strategic ally of Russia, and Moscow is reluctant to see changes in the relationship between the two countries, fearing that the rise of the opposition leader could distance Yerevan from Moscow. On Wednesday, Pashinyan stated that the Republican Party, the ruling party, has accepted defeat, but it must be ensured that this is not a trick. Speaking to a crowd of ten thousand supporters in Republic Square in central Yerevan, he said: 'We will halt actions tomorrow.' Pashinyan had called for peaceful civil disobedience after failing to secure the necessary votes in parliament for the prime minister position on Tuesday, April 30. On Wednesday, the civil disobedience of protesters effectively paralyzed the capital and several cities across the country. In this context, Armenian President Armen Sarkissian called for dialogue to resolve the crisis ahead of the second parliamentary vote scheduled for May 8. Acting Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan also issued a statement urging all political forces to show 'goodwill and flexibility' and participate in negotiations to resolve the crisis. Pashinyan received only 45 votes for the prime minister position on Tuesday, while he needed 53 votes in the Armenian parliament. The ruling Republican Party currently holds 58 of the 105 parliamentary seats. The recent developments in the power struggle in Armenia come after widespread protests against Serzh Sargsyan forced him to resign from the prime minister position. Sargsyan had been president of Armenia for ten years and expanded the powers of the prime minister's office during the last year of his presidency, and just a week after leaving the presidency, the parliament elected him as prime minister.