To start the ball rolling to hold snap parliamentary elections in Armenia, the National Assembly’s Yelk Faction today nominated Nikol Pashinyan as its candidate, and then urged MPs to vote against Pashinyan.

Lena Nazaryan, who heads the Yelk Faction, made the announcement, noting that Pashinyan’s nomination is a mereformality

Nikol Pashinyan, currently the country’s acting prime minister has been pressing for snap parliamentary elections in December.

To initiate the process leading to the dissolution of the sitting parliament, Pashinyan, who was elected prime minister on May 8, resigned on October 16.

According to the constitution, the parliament has two chances to elect a new prime minister. If it fails to do so, the parliament is dissolved.

Parliamentary factions have until 6pm today to nominate candidates. A special session will be held tomorrow to elect a new prime minister. Pashinyan is the only nominee so far.

The Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) faction, the largest in the parliament, has said that it has no intention of nominating its own candidate.

The Tsarukyan Faction, the second largest, entered into an agreement with Pashinyan’s Yelk Alliance not to nominate its own candidate or support another.