Pashinyan praises 'free, democratic' elections

Armenian protest leader and opposition politician Nikol Pashinyan praised Sunday's parliamentary elections as "really free, transparent and democratic," state media reported.

Pashinyan, who gained prominence leading thousands-strong protests through the streets of the capital Yerevan earlier this year, said that with the snap elections the protesters have "already achieved our goal."

"Our main goal was to achieve democracy, which we succeeded in," Pashinyan told reporters, according to comments carried by state news agency Armenpress.

Pashinyan, whose My Step alliance is pitted against the previously dominant Republican Party, attested that democracy in the former Soviet republic will be further strengthened in the future on an institutional level.

The elections were a test of support for Pashinyan, whom the parliament had earlier failed to appoint as prime minister though he was the only candidate.

The failure to appoint someone for the post resulted in the legislature being dissolved for snap elections.

Pashinyan led the protests in April in opposition to the appointment at the time of the long-time president, Serzh Sargsyan, as prime minister.

Sargsyan, who had just reached his term limit as president after serving a decade, was prime minister for only a week before he decided to resign amid the protests.

Opposition politicians, including Pashinyan, denounced Sargsyan's appointment as an unfair retention of power.

Pashinyan was then appointed interim prime minister in May. He decided to resign in October, spurring the electoral process.

Armenian law requires parliament to elect a new head of government within two weeks of the prime minister stepping down.

If the legislature fails to vote in favour of a new head of government after two attempts, then new parliamentary polls are called.