Eight political parties in Armenia, none of which are represented in the National Assembly, have issued a statement on Nikol Pashinyan's tenure as acting prime minister, describing it as a "seizure of power."  

“On May 25, Nikol Pashinyan resigned, but the allegations of resignation, in violation of all legal and political grounds, gave an ultimatum to the political forces and citizens of the Republic of Armenia that by resigning he will continue to be acting Prime Minister, only in this case he will agree to hold snap parliamentary elections, the statement reads.

Armenian PM Nikol Pashinyan resigned on May 25 to make way for snap parliamentary elections in June. The country’s constitution stipulates that such elections can be held only if he resigns and the Armenian parliament twice fails to elect another head of the government.

The parties who signed the statement maintain that the constitution does not allow Pashinyan to remain in office after his resignation.

On April 27, former Armenian President Levon Ter-Petrosyan accused the government of planning to hold snap parliamentary elections in violation of the country’s constitution.

Pashinyan’s ruling Im Kayl (My Step) faction has countered such charges, insisting that the constitution does not require the prime minister to leave office now.

The eight parties have called for Pashinyan to step down as acting prime minister “to avoid any possibility of using state, administrative forces and structures for his reproduction, otherwise his actions will be qualified as a seizure of power.”

“Pashinyan's further tenure as acting prime minister will directly threaten the legal order of the forthcoming elections, as a result of which we will have a weak, puppet parliament with low legitimacy, that is, an executive power,” their statement reads.

The two minority parliamentary factions, Prosperous Armenia and Bright Armenia, have agreed not to nominate their own candidates for prime minister in the interim.

The eight parties that signed the statement are the Union for National Self-Determination, Justice Party, Heritage Party, Democratic Homeland Party, Armenian Constructivist Party, Homeland and Honor Party, Hayk Party, Conservative Party.