YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. The National Democratic Union party (Azgayin Zhoghovrdavarakan Miutyun) says it will not run for parliament in the December 9 early election.

In a statement, the party said that the new Constitution, the new political situation ‘obliges and gives opportunity for restoration, creation and development of powerful, ideological political parties’.

“We will take this path. The time of alliances of small parties created at the imperative of the moment is over. After the election the National Democratic Union will initiate a program of supplementing and developing of the party with the aim of re-assuming the role in the state that it had in the initial period,” it said.

Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan resigned on October 16 to trigger the process of disbanding the parliament.

Pashinyan took office after massive protests in April forced president-turned PM Serzh Sargsyan to resign. But Sargsyan’s Republican Party (HHK) still has most seats in the 105-seat parliament. Since taking office, Nikol Pashinyan has numerously said that the incumbent parliament doesn’t represent the people and that early elections should take place as soon as possible.

In accordance to the Constitution, when a Prime Minister resigns the parliament must elect a new PM within two weeks. Lawmakers deliberately failed to elect a new PM as a formality in order to pave the way for dissolution.

The last round took place on November 1 and the parliament was dissolved by virtue of law.

Later on the same day, President Armen Sarkissian signed an order on dissolving the parliament and calling early elections on December 9.

The parliament will function until the new parliament is elected.

The government is formally a caretaker government until a new government is formed after the election.

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan