YEREVAN. – Armenia’s new National Assembly (NA), which is formed as a result of the snap parliamentary election on December 9, 2018, on Monday began its first session.

According to the NA Rules of Procedure, the oldest MP chairs the new parliament session until the NA Speaker is elected; this lawmaker is 74-year-old Knyaz Hasanov, who represents the Kurdish community.

The President and the Catholicos of All Armenians have the right to welcoming remarks on the opening of the first sitting.

Subsequently, the new MPs will swear in.

There are seven matters on the agenda of this session: Establishment of the NA Committee on Counting; election of the NA Speaker; elections of the three NA vice-speakers; creation of the NA standing committees; election of chairpersons of the NA standing committees; the matter of approval of the government program; and debating on the bill with respect to making changes in the makeup of the government—and according to which, the number of ministries are planned to be reduced.

The first sitting of the new NA will end with concluding remarks by the NA Speaker, and the announcement of the date for the convocation of the next session.

The new legislature of Armenia will have 132 MPs and three factions. The “My Step” Faction will comprise 88 lawmakers—including four representatives from the national minorities, the “Prosperous Armenia” [Party] Faction will have 26 deputies, and the “Bright Armenia” [Party] Faction will include 18 MPs.

Under the constitution, the NA will not elect a Prime Minister, but, immediately after the formation of the parliament, the President will directly appoint as Prime Minister the candidate who is nominated by the parliament majority. And the new government shall be formed within 15 days after the appointment of the Prime Minister.