YEREVAN. – Armenian parliament is holding a special session to elect a new Prime Minister.

According to the law, all factions have the rights to nominate their candidate, however, the only candidate at today’s vote is the head of Yelk faction Nikol Pashinyan.

ARF and Tsarukyan factions said they will vote for Pashinyan, while the Republican Party of Armenia which has majority in the parliament has not made final decision yet. Earlier head of RPA faction Vahram Baghdasaryan said if the other three factions nominate a single candidate, RPA will not block the vote, and PM will be elected on May 1.

Yelk will formally nominate the candidate and will answer the questions of the deputies. Subsequently, Pashinyan will deliver a speech which will be followed by exchange of views. Pashinyan will be finally given 30 minutes to deliver a speech.

The PM is elected by a majority vote of the total number of deputies, and by open voting.

But the serving Premier and the ministers will remain acting until the formation of a new government.

Once elected, the President will immediately appoint the candidate elected by the parliament as a Prime Minister. The government will be formed within 15 days after the PM is appointed.

With new legislative regulations, the new government will comprise the Prime Minister, First Deputy Prime Minister, two deputy prime ministers, and seventeen ministers. There will no longer be a Ministry of International Economic Integration and Reforms.

The government shall be considered to be formed if at least two-thirds of its members have been appointed.

The appointed government members shall take a respective oath at the Presidential Residence, and in the presence of the President.