Pashinyan Becomes Armenia’s Prime Minister

Head of the Yelk faction and the opposition leader, Nikol Pashinyan, has been elected as the Prime Minister of Armenia.

Pashinyan was elected with 59 MPs voting for and 42 against during the special session of the National Assembly on Tuesday.

According to Armenian media, the new Prime Minister says his first trip in his new capacity will be to Artsakh on May 9.

The extraordinary sitting of the Armenian Parliament kicked off 12:00 with 100 MPs in attendance for the second round of voting to elect a Prime Minister. Nikol Pashinyan, the opposition leader who spearheaded the recent nationwide demonstrations, was the only candidate for the position, as during the first round on May 1.

Two other factions in addition to Pashinyan’s Yelk endorsed the opposition leader’s candidacy – the ARF and the Tsarukyan.

Pashinyan needed at least 53 votes in the 105-seat unicameral parliament to be named Prime Minister.

As required by the Constitution, a new government must be formed within 15 days after electing a Prime Minister.

By Thea Morrison

Photo: parliament.am