YEREVAN: Tens of thousands of Armenians poured on to the streets of the capital Yerevan on Tuesday to celebrate opposition leader Nikol Pashin­yan’s election as prime minister.

Armenia’s parliament elected Pashinyan after he spearheaded weeks of mass protests against the ruling party, transforming the country’s political landscape.

A massive crowd in Yerevan’s central Republic Square sang the Armenian national anthem at a celebration rally following his election. “From now on, nobody will violate the Armenian people’s rights and freedom!” Pashinyan told the crowd, to shouts of “Nikol! Nikol!”

Groups of youths danced to folk music and drumrolls and many held Pashinyan portraits. “We understand that things can’t change overnight. But the most important thing has already been done,” said Ruzanna Sargsyan, a 42-year-old economist.

Ruling party backs protest leader

Lawmakers voted 59 to 42 to approve Pashinyan for the job, after the ruling Republican Party came round to backing his premiership bid on his second attempt.

The party had narrowly voted him down last week, plunging the Caucasus nation into its most serious political crisis in years.

The hugely popular Pashinyan had in recent weeks piled pressure on the Republican Party through an unprecedented campaign of civil disobedience, leading to the shock resignation of veteran leader Serzh Sarkisian, a week after he shifted to the newly-empowered role of prime minister after serving for 10 years as president. “My first work after my election will be ensuring a normal life in the country,” Pashinyan said ahead of the vote. “There will be no corruption in Armenia. Armenia will once and for all turn the page of political persecutions.”

The 42-year-old added that Arme­nia’s relations with ally Russia will “remain a priority”. “Military cooperation with Russia is an important factor in ensuring our country’s security,” he said, referring to a two-decade long conflict his country is locked in with neighbouring Azerbaijan.

“We will [also] be developing relations with European countries and the United States, with Iran and Georgia, China and India,” he added.

Russian president Vladimir Putin congratulated Pashinyan in a statement released by the Kremlin on Tuesday.

‘Ensuring stability’

The head of the ruling Republican Party’s parliamentary faction, Vagram Bagdasaryan, said his party backed Pashinyan to “ensure stability” in the country.

“We did not change our position. We are against Nikol Pashinyan’s candidacy, but the most important thing for us is to ensure stability in the country,” Bagdasaryan said ahead of the vote.

Pashinyan called for an end to the protests after the Republicans — who have 58 MPs in the 105-seat legislature — promised to back him in the second attempt.

The former newspaper editor also secured the support of two other major political parties — Prosperous Armenia and the Armenian Revo­lutionary Federation (Dashnak­tsu­tyun) — which nominated him for the post together with his opposition Elk coalition.

Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2018