Nikol Pashinyan elected Prime Minister of Armenia

Nikol Pashinyan received the parliamentary majority's support to be elected the prime minister of Armenia.

Out of the 100 lawmakers attending Tuesday’s special session, 59 voted “in favor” and 42 voted “against” the leader of the opposition Yelk (Way Out) faction.

Under the Constitution of Armenia, the prime minister is elected by the majority of parliament member. In the 105-seat National Assembly, 53 votes are considered the minimum threshold.

At the parliament’s special session last Tuesday, Pashinyan failed to garner the necessary number of votes (45-56) to be elected to the top government office.

Pashinyan led a civil disobedience campaign in Yerevan and the regions of Armenia in he past weeks, protesting against Serzh Sargsyan’s premiership and his Republican Party’s “decades-long grip on power”. In the wake of strong public protests, Sargsyan resigned on April 23, exectly a week after his election.  After the success of his popular movement, Pashinyan proclaimed himself “the people's candidate”.