Acting PM: The Prime Minister can be elected only in parliament, constitutionally.
The Prime Minister can be elected only in parliament, constitutionally. The Acting PM of Armenia, Karen Karapetyan, on Wednesday issued a statement with such content. “I appeal to all the political forces to show will, determination and flexibility, to sit at one table,” the statement also reads, in particular. “We all realize that civilized and fast-applied solutions are needed to surmount the [current] political crisis [in Armenia]. “I am confident that, with joint efforts, our country will overcome this ordeal, too.” The National Assembly (NA) on Tuesday did not endorse—with a vote of 45 for and 56 against—opposition movement leader, Civil Contract Party Political Council member, and NA “Way Out” (Yelk) Faction head Nikol Pashinyan’s candidacy as Prime Minister. The parliamentary majority faction of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia voted against Pashinyan, who was the only candidate. At the subsequent rally on Tuesday evening, Pashinyan called on his supporters to on Wednesday resume their peaceful and nonviolent campaign of civil disobedience—such as boycotting of school classes, staging of labor strikes, and blocking of streets and the Yerevan subway. On May 8, a new election for PM will be held at the NA, during which the respective candidates can be nominated by at least one-third of the total number of MPs—in the 105-seat parliament. And if a PM is not elected this time, too, the current NA will be dissolved by law. Subsequently, a snap parliamentary election will be conducted.
