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Time in Yerevan: 11:07,   29 March 2024

‘Gloves come off after Velvet Revolution’ – BBC on upcoming Armenia general election

‘Gloves come off after Velvet Revolution’ – BBC on upcoming Armenia general election

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS. The BBC has weighed in on the upcoming general election in Armenia, stressing that Nikol Pashinyan, the leader of the Velvet Revolution, “faces a key test with an early parliamentary election on Sunday”.

BBC’s Rayhan Demytrie writes that “the man behind the extraordinary "Velvet Revolution" that convulsed Armenia in April faces a key test with an early parliamentary election on Sunday.

Former journalist-turned-politician Nikol Pashinyan, 43, engineered a peaceful transfer of power and raised hopes for an economic transformation.”

“One of Mr Pashinyan's key promises to the tens of thousands of Armenians who took part in street protests was to hold the country's first democratic parliamentary elections.

He is still very popular and few doubt that his My Step Alliance will come top among the 11 parties and political blocs in the vote.”

According to the author, what makes Pashinyan so popular is the fact that that “ [he] uses regular Facebook live broadcasts to come across as an accessible politician.”

The article also features the opinion of Republican Party (HHK) Vice President Armen Ashotyan, who expressed dissatisfaction over organizing the election so early.

Ashotyan argues that political parties have been deprived of time to prepare for the elections.

The vice president of the former ruling party also said that ‘there’s still a so-called post-revolutionary euphoria in Armenia’, which according to him will be reflected in the vote.

 

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan tendered a tactical resignation on October 16 in a maneuver to trigger the process of dissolving the parliament.

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.

Pashinyan took office after massive protests in April forced president-turned PM Serzh Sargsyan to resign. But Sargsyan’s Republican Party (HHK) still held 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.

The parliament was dissolved by virtue of law on November 1.  On the same day, President of Armenia Armen Sarkissian signed an order on calling early general election on December 9.

The incumbent parliament functions until the new parliament is elected.

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

The campaigning period kicked off November 26 with 11 political parties and blocs running for parliament.

 

Edited and translated by Stepan Kocharyan








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