Yelk faction to launch substantive discussions on staff of future government after PM election

YEREVAN, MAY 7, ARMENPRESS. The Yelk faction of the Armenian Parliament will hold substantive discussions on the staff of the next government after the election of the prime minister on May 8, Yelk faction MP Edmon Marukyan told reporters during a press briefing on May 7, reports Armenpress.

“We had certain discussions in the faction regarding the staff of the future government, but we will have more substantive discussions on that after the election of the prime minister because now it’s not the time for that”, the lawmaker said.

Asked whether he sees himself in the staff of the next government, he said: “I personally see myself in the Parliament”.

MP Marukyan also stated that if Nikol Pashinyan is elected as prime minister, the Yelk faction, in fact, becomes a leadership faction and must become the backdrop of Pashinyan’s government in the Parliament. “We must work on the projects, changes and reforms which the government will bring to the Parliament”, he said.

Marukyan added that the ruling Republican Party (RPA) faction in the Parliament will also approve Nikol Pashinyan’s program. “If they do not approve Pashinyan’s program, we will again pass the stages of election of prime minister in the Parliament. But what is its meaning? I think there is no meaning on rejecting Pashinyan’s program. I say this based on the political situation”, the lawmaker noted.

The second round of the vote for electing a Prime Minister will take place May 8 in the Armenian parliament after lawmakers failed to make the election on May 1. Opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan, head of the Yelk (Exit) faction, was the sole candidate in the election. Pashinyan, the MP who spearheaded massive demonstrations throughout the country for about two weeks, failed to be elected by a 56-45 vote. He needed at least 53 votes to be named Prime Minister.

The opposition leader has already been officially nominated as a candidate for the second round. Pashinyan is endorsed by the Tsarukyan and ARF factions, in addition to his own faction – Yelk.

There are 4 factions in the Armenian parliament. The Republican Party (RPA) faction, the ruling party of Armenia, has 58 seats in the 105-seat unicameral parliament of Armenia – known as the National Assembly. The ARF faction – (Armenian Revolutionary Federation aka Dashnaktsutyun), has 7 seats. The Tsarukyan faction has 31 seats, and the Yelk faction has 9 seats.

According to the Constitution, if a Prime Minister isn’t elected in the second round also, the parliament is dissolved by virtue of law.

The ruling party said it will not nominate their own candidate for the second round, just like in the first round. However, the RPA said it will not block the election.

English –translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan