YEREVAN (RFE/RL, news.am) — Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan has named former Prime Minister Armen Sarkissian as the ruling Republican Party’s nomination for the next president.
Sarkissian, who is no relation to the outgoing president, was Armenia’s prime minister from 1996 to 1997 when he resigned from the post because of illness.
He currently is Armenia’s ambassador to the United Kingdom and, in accordance with recent constitutional reforms regarding the presidency, is not a member of any political party.
Serzh Sargsyan, who heads the Republican Party, announced the nomination on January 19.
Earlier in January, the president said the Republican Party’s candidate should be a person who is not involved in politics and is highly regarded by Armenian society.
Following a referendum in December 2015, Armenia changed its form of government from a semi-presidential to a parliamentary republic.