Armenian prime minister resigns to force snap parliamentary elections
16.10.2018,
21:14
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has announced his resignation today in a move to force early parliamentary election.
YEREVAN, October 16. /ARKA/. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has announced his resignation today in a move to force early parliamentary election. In a last week interview with the France24 TV channel, Pashinyan said he planned to resign on October 15 to dissolve the parliament and hold early parliamentary election on December 10th.
In a televised statement Pashinyan said today the objective of his resignation is to conclude another stage in the revolution by means of holding a snap election and returning the power to the people
Under the Armenian Constitution, following prime minister’s resignation, the president accepts the resignation of the government. However, the Cabinet and other government-affiliated agencies continue to perform their duties until the election of new prime minister. Pashinyan said after resigning he will also continue to exercise his constitutional powers.
Earlier, on October 2, Pashinyan said he would resign after the Francophonie summit that was to be hosted by Armenia’s capital Yerevan on October 11-12. His remarks came after the Prosperous Armenia (BHK) and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) parties backed a bill, designed by the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) that makes it harder to hold early parliamentary elections later this year.
The passage of the bill prompted thousands of Pashinyan's supporters to rally outside parliament to demand fresh elections, which can be held if the parliament fails twice to choose a new prime minister within two weeks after the resignation of prime minister. Then the legislature is dissolved and new elections are called.
Later, after talks with the parliamentary leaders of HHK, BHK, and Dashnaktsutyun Pashinyan said they assured him that they would not field any prime-ministerial candidates if he resigned to force new elections.
Last week the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) said it was not going to field its own candidate for the post of prime minister after the widely anticipated resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. A similar announcement was made today by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation/Dashnaktsutyun. -0-
In a televised statement Pashinyan said today the objective of his resignation is to conclude another stage in the revolution by means of holding a snap election and returning the power to the people
Under the Armenian Constitution, following prime minister’s resignation, the president accepts the resignation of the government. However, the Cabinet and other government-affiliated agencies continue to perform their duties until the election of new prime minister. Pashinyan said after resigning he will also continue to exercise his constitutional powers.
Earlier, on October 2, Pashinyan said he would resign after the Francophonie summit that was to be hosted by Armenia’s capital Yerevan on October 11-12. His remarks came after the Prosperous Armenia (BHK) and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) parties backed a bill, designed by the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) that makes it harder to hold early parliamentary elections later this year.
The passage of the bill prompted thousands of Pashinyan's supporters to rally outside parliament to demand fresh elections, which can be held if the parliament fails twice to choose a new prime minister within two weeks after the resignation of prime minister. Then the legislature is dissolved and new elections are called.
Later, after talks with the parliamentary leaders of HHK, BHK, and Dashnaktsutyun Pashinyan said they assured him that they would not field any prime-ministerial candidates if he resigned to force new elections.
Last week the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) said it was not going to field its own candidate for the post of prime minister after the widely anticipated resignation of Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan. A similar announcement was made today by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation/Dashnaktsutyun. -0-
