YEREVAN, April 30 (Xinhua) -- Armenian opposition on Monday nominated Nikol Pashinyan as their candidate for prime minister, reported Armenpress.
Before negotiating meetings in the parliament with different political parties, Armenia's opposition faction "Elq" (Way Out) consisting of three political parties Civil Contract, Bright Armenia and Republic officially nominated Nikol Pashinyan for prime minister.
Armenia's National Assembly on Tuesday will vote for a new prime minister. The ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) announced on Saturday that they would not nominate any candidate for prime minister.
The remaining two political forces Tsarukyan bloc and Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) said that they would support the "people's candidate", i.e., Pashinyan.
On April 23, Serzh Sargsyan, prime minister of Armenia and leader of the PRA, stepped down amid mass protests against his premiership, which have gripped the ex-Soviet republic.
On April 17, the National Assembly of Armenia elected PRA leader and ex-President Sargsyan as the country's new prime minister, with 77 lawmakers voting for and 17 against.
Pashinyan and his supporters had staged protests before April 17, accusing the 63-year-old former president of clinging to power.
Following a referendum held in December of 2015, Armenia has effectively shifted from a semi-presidential system of governance to a parliamentary one where the prime minister holds most of the executive power in the country, with the president's job now being largely ceremonial.
Pashinyan, who is the leader of the protests that ousted Sargsyan, insisted that the political parties in the parliament should vote for him as the next interim prime minister before new snap elections.
To be elected as prime minister, Pashinyan will need at least 53 votes from the 105-seat parliament.
