YEREVAN, MAY 1, ARMENPRESS: The Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) will make a decision over the voting of the candidate for Prime Minister on May 1 after getting acquainted with Nikol Pashinyan’s program, spokesman of the ruling party Eduard Sharmazanov, who also serves as Vice Speaker of Parliament, told ARMENPRESS.

“The HHK faction leader will announce our decision before the voting,” he said.

On April 23, at 16:00, Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan resigned as widespread protests entered the 11th day. 

On the same day, as required by law, the government resigned.

First Deputy PM Karen Karapetyan was named acting PM at an emergency Cabinet meeting.

The Speaker of Parliament announced that elections of a new Prime Minister will be held May 1.

On April 28, HHK, the ruling party, said it will not nominate a candidate for Prime Minister in the upcoming election.

The Tsarukyan faction also said it will not nominate a candidate and endorsed “the people’s candidate”.

On April 29, the ARF said they endorse the candidacy of Nikol Pashinyan for the upcoming election on May 1.

On April 30 the opposition Yelk faction officially nominated Pashinyan for the upcoming PM election.  The three other factions – the HHK, Tsarukyan, and ARF, announced they will not nominate a candidate.

There are 4 factions in the Armenian parliament. The Republican Party (HHK) 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 alliance has 31 seats, and the Yelk faction has 9 seats. 

English –translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan