Armenia’s new parliament to convene on August 2 as government resigns and prime minister is appointed

The first session of the ninth convocation of Armenia’s National Assembly will open at 10:00 a.m. on August 2, marking the start of a series of constitutional procedures, including the resignation of the current government and the appointment of a new prime minister. Until the election of the Speaker of Parliament, the session will be chaired by the oldest newly elected MP, Knyaz Hasanov, who was born on January 17, 1945 and was elected from the Civil Contract party’s electoral list representing national minorities.

The new parliament will consist of 105 lawmakers representing three political forces. 

The ruling Civil Contract party will hold 64 seats, the Strong Armenia Alliance 29 seats, and the Armenia Alliance 12 seats. Having secured more than 52% of the parliamentary mandates, Civil Contract will form the governing majority in accordance with the Constitutional Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly, while the Strong Armenia and Armenia alliances will serve as the opposition. 

The inaugural session will begin with an address by President Vahagn Khachaturyan. 

Newly elected MPs will then take the constitutional oath, sign the oath text, and officially assume their mandates. After the oath ceremony, the presiding officer will announce the total number of MPs, introduce the members of parliament and the political forces they represent, after which lawmakers will register for the session. 

The agenda first предусматривает the formation of the Counting Commission, after which parliament will proceed to elect the Speaker of the National Assembly. Each parliamentary faction has the right to nominate a candidate. 

The Speaker is elected by secret ballot with the support of a majority of all MPs. In the 105-seat parliament, at least 53 votes are required. 

The Civil Contract party has nominated Ruben Rubinyan for Speaker. The party has also selected Hayk Konjoryan and Vahagn Aleksanyan as its candidates for the posts of deputy speaker. 

Parliament has three deputy speakers, one of whom must be nominated from among the opposition factions. 

Deputy speakers are also elected separately by secret ballot with at least 53 votes.

As of July 29, no final decision had been announced regarding the opposition’s candidate for deputy speaker, although media reports have suggested Aram Vardevanyan, elected from the Strong Armenia Alliance, as a possible nominee. 

During the first session, parliament will determine the number, names, areas of responsibility and membership of its standing committees before electing their chairpersons. 

On July 29, the Civil Contract party board selected its nominees for the committee chairmanships through a closed, secret ballot. The agenda also includes the establishment of the Ethics Commission. 

This is a new requirement introduced through amendments to the Constitutional Law on the Rules of Procedure of the National Assembly adopted in July 2026, which require the first Ethics Commission of a newly elected parliament to be formed during its inaugural session. 

The procedure for appointing a prime minister following the election of a new parliament differs from the procedure applicable after a resignation or another vacancy. 

On August 2, the current government will resign, with ministers continuing to perform their duties until a new cabinet is formed. 

Under Article 149 of Armenia’s Constitution, once the term of the newly elected parliament begins, the President of the Republic must immediately appoint as prime minister the candidate nominated by the stable parliamentary majority. With 64 seats, Civil Contract will independently form that majority. 

The party’s officially endorsed candidate for prime minister is Nikol Pashinyan, meaning the parliamentary majority will nominate him in accordance with the Constitution, and the president will appoint him to the post. Following the prime minister’s appointment, the government must be formed within 15 days. 

Within five days of taking office, the prime minister must submit nominees for deputy prime ministers and ministers to the president, who must appoint them within three days or refer the nominations to the Constitutional Court. 

After the cabinet is formed, the prime minister has 20 days to submit the government’s programme to parliament. The National Assembly must consider and approve it within seven days by a majority of all MPs, requiring at least 53 votes.