Opposition support demonstrations expected ahead of key vote for Armenian prime minister
Today, Armenia’s parliament will hold a second vote to elect a new prime minister.
Last week, an election was held for the position and lost by the primary opposition figure, Nikol Pashinyan, by a close margin because the ruling Republic Party (HHK) was unwilling to support him. At the leader’s behest, tens of thousands of Armenians answered the call for a nationwide strike.
After a five-day pause from civil disobedience to allow for talks between the opposition and the HHK, Pashinyan stated his intention to form a “government of reconciliation.” For its part, the HHK said it will vote for whichever candidate is backed by at least one-third of lawmakers, a margin held by the candidate.
Though last-minute shake-ups are always possible, expect Pashinyan to be elected prime minister today. If this happens, Pashinyan will focus his efforts on electoral reform that could be followed by a snap election; this would likely benefit the leader’s Way Out Alliance, which currently only holds nine seats in the 105-member parliament. Should he not be elected today, another strike would surely ensue and new parliamentary elections would be held, per Armenia’s constitution.
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