Armenian Opposition Leader Addresses Cheering Yerevan Crowd

Armenian opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan addressed a crowd in Yerevan late on Wednesday, April 25, as protests, which two days earlier forced the resignation of Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan, showed no signs of coming to an end. Leaders said on April 25 that a new prime minister would be elected on May 1, and Reuters reported that Pashinyan was now tipped to win. This video, from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), shows Pashinyan addressing a cheering crowd in Yerevan. According to an RFE/RL translation, Pashinyan told the crowd, “I want to make clear that if there is even an attempt to nominate a Republican [Party] candidate as prime minister, the people will blockade the parliament building, the [main] government building, and all the government buildings.” Sargsyan, who served as president from 2008 to early 2018, was elected as prime minister by parliament on April 17. Critics said the election was anti-democratic and branded it as a power grab. In 2015, Armenia held a constitutional referendum that lessened the power of the president and gave greater power to the parliament. Demonstrators continued to protest for reforms, despite his resignation. Credit: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty via Storyful