Armenia's parliament will vote for a new prime minister on May 1, its speaker Ara Bablayan said Thursday.
Opposition protest leader Nikol Pashinian has said he is prepared to be a candidate.
Serzh Sarksyan quit as prime minister on Monday following two weeks of street protests over alleged corruption and cronyism.
Sarksyan moved to the premier position earlier this month after 10 years as president. Protesters accuse him of attempting a power grab under a new parliamentary system of government.
Read more: Armenia: Serzh Sargsyan resignation a blow to Russia foreign policy
Pashinian and his supporters are demanding that parliament choose a "people's candidate" who is not from the ruling Republican Party for the role of prime minister. Pashinian wants to hold new elections, reform the electoral code and carry out wide reforms of the political system.
Only about 8 percent of seats in parliament are held by the Way Out Alliance tied to Pashinian, who is seeking to gain the support of other opposition groups to become prime minister. The Republican Party holds a majority in parliament.
Pashinian has threatened extended protests, which continued Thursday, if the Republican Party nominates a candidate.
The deepening political crisis in Armenia, an ally of Russia, has sparked concerns over destabilization in the combustible Caucuses region, where there is a decades-long territorial dispute between Armenia with Azerbaijan.
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Armenia: How public protests forced PM Serzh Sargsyan to resign
Sargsyan steps down
Serzh Sargsyan, who ruled Armenia for 10 years, tendered his resignation after widespread public demonstrations against his attempts to hold onto power. The Armenian government named former Prime Minister Karen Karapetian, an ally of Sargsyan, as acting premier.
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Armenia: How public protests forced PM Serzh Sargsyan to resign
An unpopular move
The protests were sparked by Sargsyan's move to extend his rule. The 63-year-old was president of Armenia from 2008 until a term limit forced him out in March. But the parliament, which is controlled by ruling Republican Party, installed him as prime minister in April and curbed the powers of the president.
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Armenia: How public protests forced PM Serzh Sargsyan to resign
Massive anti-government protests
The shift to a strengthened parliamentary triggered massive anti-government protests in the capital of Yerevan on April 13, with thousands of people participating in rolling demonstrations against Sargsyan. Hundreds of Armenian soldiers also joined the protests.
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Armenia: How public protests forced PM Serzh Sargsyan to resign
Clinging to power
The parliament's move to keep Sargsyan in power echoed a maneuver by Russian President Vladimir Putin a decade ago. Leaders in several former Soviet republics have used similar methods to remain in power.
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Armenia: How public protests forced PM Serzh Sargsyan to resign
Acting prime minister
Acting PM Karapetian too has close ties with Russia. He worked in Russia for five years as a senior executive of state-controlled gas giant Gazprom.
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Armenia: How public protests forced PM Serzh Sargsyan to resign
Jubilation
Protesters in the capital Yerevan took to the streets to celebrate Sargsyan's resignation. A day after Sargsyan stepped down, the country's opposition called for a meeting with the caretaker prime minister to discuss a "peaceful transfer of power." In this photo, opposition leader Nikol Pashinian (R) is seen in a meeting with Sargsyan on April 22, urging him to step down.
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Armenia: How public protests forced PM Serzh Sargsyan to resign
A blow to Russia's foreign policy
Russia, Armenia's closest ally, said on April 24 that it was not concerned about the political situation in Yerevan. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he did not regard Armenia's political tumult as a Ukraine-style revolt against pro-Russia politicians. However, according to analysts, Sargsyan's resignation has unsettled Russian interests in Armenia.
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Armenia: How public protests forced PM Serzh Sargsyan to resign
Back to the streets
After talks with acting Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan were cancelled, Pashinian and his supporters took to the streets again on April 25 to demand parliament choose a "people's candidate" who di not come from the ruling Republican Party.
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Armenia: How public protests forced PM Serzh Sargsyan to resign
Parliament votes for new premier
Armenia's parliament will vote for a new premier on May 1. Pashinian has said he is prepared to be a candidate, but it is unclear if he will get support. The ruling Republican Party holds a majority in parliament.
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Armenia: How public protests forced PM Serzh Sargsyan to resign
Pashinian is the sole candidate for the post of prime minister
As Nikol Pashinian's supporters staged further protests on April 29, the ruling Republican Party which holds a majority in parliament said it would not put forward a candidate for prime minister to stand against Pashinian. The party would not "impede the election of the people's candidate" if all three opposition factions voted for him, leader Vahram Baghdasaryan said.
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Armenia: How public protests forced PM Serzh Sargsyan to resign
Nikol Pashinian - deal maker
Short of six votes, Pashinian met with other political leaders in parliament on April 30. "We are facing the task of resolving the political crisis in the country," he said. "If a prime minister is not elected tomorrow, this crisis will not disappear." The vote in parliament for a new prime minister was scheduled for May 1.
Author: Shamil Shams (with AP, dpa, Reuters)
cw/kms (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)
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