Artsakh’s National Assembly today elected Samvel Shahramanyan as the country’s president by a vote of 22-1.

Shahramanyan replaces Arayik Harutyunyan who resigned as Artsakh president on September 1, citing a lack of public trust in the government.

Shahramanyan was backed by the ruling Free Motherland-UCA Alliance, along with the Justice, Armenian Revolutionary Federation and Democratic Party of Artsakh parliamentary factions.

He was the only candidate in the running for the post. There are thirty-three deputies in the Artsakh parliament.