While unofficial campaigning for the upcoming snap parliamentary election has long been underway, the campaign season for the June 20 election officially launched this week.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan finds himself at the centre of a political crisis after the army demanded he resign, a move he said looked like an attempted military coup.
Here are some highlights from the 45-year-old’s rise to power and the challenges he has faced in his post:
Rise to Power
Pashinyan emerged as the leader of a wave of anti-government street protests that rocked Armenia in the spring of 2018.
Initially prompted by the election of former President Serzh Sargsyan as prime minister, the protests quickly began targeting the government’s perceived political cronyism.
Pashinyan, a former journalist and legislator, nurtured his image as a politician close to the people, wearing casual clothes and a baseball cap at protests to clash with the formal suits worn by members of the ruling Republican Party.
By Reuters Staff
3 Min Read
YEREVAN (Reuters) - Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan finds himself at the centre of a political crisis after the army demanded he resign, a move he said looked like an attempted military coup.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan greets his supporters during a gathering in the centre of Yerevan, Armenia February 25, 2021. Pashinyan warned of an attempted military coup against him after the army demanded he and his government resign. Stepan Poghosyan/Photolure via REUTERS
Here are some highlights from the 45-year-old’s rise to power and the challenges he has faced in his post:
RISE TO POWER