Armenia’s parliament will elect a new prime minister on May 1, state media reported on Thursday, following Serzh Sargsyan’s surprise resignation on April 24 ,amid street protests.
Protest leader and parliament member, Nikol Pashinyan, whose liberal Way Out Alliance comprises a small minority in the legislature, is likely to be a candidate.
Pashinyan called on supporters to temporarily stop blocking roads in the capital, Yerevan, as the opposition attempts to negotiate with the country’s leadership, state news agency Armenpress reported.
Armenia’s foreign minister, Eduard Nalbandyan, went to Moscow on Wednesday for consultations, according to the Interfax News Agency.
Russia is a close ally of Armenia, a former Soviet republic.
Sargsyan, who previously served as president for a decade until he reached his term limit this month, tendered his resignation earlier this week as tens of thousands of Armenians took to the streets to protest.
Before Sargsyan became prime minister, the constitution was amended to give that post increased authority.