Parliament votes down Pashinyan for Armenian PM

Acting Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan was not re-elected as prime minister at a special session of the Armenian parliament on Wednesday, bringing the parliament one step closer to its dissolution. Local TV channels broadcast the parliamentary session live.

"None of the parliamentarians voted for Pashinyan," Speaker Ara Babloyan said, congratulating the parliament. Only one lawmaker voted against the candidacy of Pashinyan. Eleven parliamentarians abstained. Another 59 deputies were registered for the vote, but did not vote at all, while 34 others failed to turn up.

Pashinyan himself has repeatedly said nomination of his candidacy was a technical formality. "I was nominated not for being elected, but for not being elected as prime minister. I was nominated to avoid any speculations as to the legitimacy of the upcoming early parliamentary election. In order to rule out the loopholes that could wreck the election," Pashinyan said.

Prior to the vote, the parliamentary factions of the formerly ruling Republican Party of Armenia, as well as Tsarukyan and Dashnaktsutyun said they would not vote. The Yelk faction that nominated Nikol Pashinyan said it would abstain.

Pashinyan stepped down on October 16 to speed up the process of dissolving the parliament. "I am stepping down. I wish everyone success at elections. We guarantee fair elections," he told Armenia’s Public Television.

"Naturally, this resignation is formal but, still, it is a very exciting moment," he added.

Under the Armenian constitution, following the prime minister’s resignation, the national parliament has 14 days to elect a new head of government. In case it fails to do that after two attempts, the legislative body is dissolved and early parliamentary polls are appointed. All the four factions in the Armenian parliament have said they are not planning to nominate their candidates for prime minister. So, as it was planned by Pashinyan, early parliamentary elections are to take place in the first half of December.