Sarkisian’s political allies first floated the idea of ousting Pashinian in this way in April. But they failed to win over the other, larger parliamentary opposition group, the Hayastan alliance, even after offering to nominate its top leader, former President Robert Kocharian, as their prime-ministerial candidate.
Senior Hayastan members argued that the two opposition groups lack the votes to even force a debate on the issue in the National Assembly controlled by Pashinian’s Civil Contract party. Some of them claimed that the long-shot initiative is a ploy designed to undercut Kocharian. The latter described it as “unserious” and “unrealistic.” The no-confidence vote sought by the HHK added to simmering tensions between the two opposition forces.
Nevertheless, Hayastan’s parliamentary leader, Seyran Ohanian, announced on Monday that he and the 27 other parliament deputies from Kocharian’s bloc are ready to sign the HHK’s latest motion. Ohanian told RFE/RL’s Armenian Service that they would like to hold “further discussions” with Sarkisian’s party on the issue.
The HHK’s candidate for the post of prime minister this time around is Davit Hambardzumian, the mayor of Masis, a small town just south of Yerevan.
Under Armenian law, such an initiative must be backed by least 36 members of the 107-seat parliament before it can be debated on the parliament floor. This means that the HHK, which controls only six parliament seats, still needs two more votes.
One potential source of those votes is two parliament deputies who were expelled from Civil Contract party late last year. But they made clear over the weekend that they will not back the HHK motion.
Even if the opposition manages to include the issue on the parliament agenda, it will have to win over at least 18 pro-government deputies in order to oust the government. Sarkisian and his political team have still not clarified just how they think they can trigger so many defections.