YEREVAN, MARCH 2, ARMENPRESS. Armen Sarkissian’s being elected as 4th President of Armenia on March 2 has been under international media spotlight, reports Armenpress.

The German Deutsche Welle writes the Armenian parliament elected Armen Sarkissian – the only candidate considered by lawmakers on Friday – as its next president. He is set to take over after the current president Serzh Sargsyan steps down later this month. The news agency writes the president-elect shares a last name with President Serzh Sargsyan, but the two politicians are not related. Deutsche Welle also quoted Armen Sarkissian’s words that he would use "all his knowledge and experience" to serve Armenia.

The Spanish EFE news agency also touched upon this topic. The news agency writes the Armenian parliament has elected former prime minister Armen Sarkissian as country’s president, stating that the president-elect is 64 years old. “Armen Sarkissian, 64, had accepted in January the offer made by Serzh Sargsyan, Armenia's incumbent president, to become the ruling Republican Party's nominee in the first presidential elections since the country's major constitutional reform in 2015”, EFE writes.

The Chinese Xinhua news agency writes the Armenian parliament elected Armen Sarkissian as the 4th president of the country. “90 members of the parliament voted for Sarkissian, 10 voted against and one vote was invalid. Sarkissian is elected for a period of seven years and will be sworn into office as a president on April 9”, the news agency wrote, reminding that Sarkissian previously served as the prime minister of Armenia.

Interfax writes that former prime minister of Armenia and Armenia’s Ambassador to the UK Armen Sarkissian has been elected President of Armenia by the Parliament, stating that he has been the only candidate.

The Russian Kommersant daily says Armen Sarkissian’s candidacy has been supported not only by the ruling party, but also most of the opposition. The newspaper writes that for the first time the President of Armenia has been elected by the Parliament as Armenia transitioned to a parliamentary system.

Kazinform, Sputnik Georgia and a number of other international media outlets also touched upon this topic.

Armen Sarkissian was elected as President of Armenia by the Parliament on March 2. 90 lawmakers voted in favor, while 10 voted against his candidacy. He will be sworn into office on April 9 at a special session in the Parliament.

English –translator/editor: Aneta Harutyunyan