Tens of thousands of protesters paralyzed the Armenian capital Yerevan on Wednesday, a day after opposition leader Nikol Pashinian's bid for the premiership was squashed in parliament by the ruling Republican Party of ousted former prime minister Serzh Sargsyan.

The failure to find a political solution in parliament after weeks of protests has stoked further street anger at the Republican Party elite, raising concerns of instability in the small South Caucasus nation.

Read more: Nikol Pashinian: The man behind Armenia's protest movement

Thousands on streets

Pashinian called for a general strike and massive protests after parliament shot down his bid to become prime minister.

Protesters said they would remain on the streets until the ruling Republican Party quits power.

In the capital Yerevan, protesters blocked roads, interrupted train services and cut off the road to the airport.

Roads leading to Armenia’s border with Georgia and Iran were also blocked.

Local media reported protests in other cities in the nation of nearly 3 million people.

Read more: Parliament vote falls short for Armenia's protest leader

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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)



Protest and negotiate

Pashinian told Reuters news agency that strikes and civil disobedience would continue until protesters’ demands are met. "My only power is my people. We are not going to give up," he said at a protest in Yerevan.

Faced with a second parliamentary vote for a prime minister on May 8, Pashinian said the opposition will "think and negotiate" before making a decision if he will put his name forward again. "I can't tell you now, it will depend on the specific situation," he said.

In the streets of Yerevan, crowds of protesters waving Armenian flags chanted "Free, independent Armenia!" and "Nikol! Nikol!".

The ruling Republican Party argues Pashinian is not qualified to be prime minister.

Armen Sarkissian, who is not related to his predecessor (sometimes their names are spelled the same in the Greek alphabet), called for more negotiations to resolve the political crisis.

"I deeply regret that the political crisis continues despite the fact that everyone is talking about how dangerous it is for the future of the country," Sarkissian said in a statement.

Pashinian and his supporters have said they won't accept a Republican Party premier

How and why did protests start?

Sargsyan quit as prime minister on April 23 following two weeks of street protests over alleged corruption and cronyism within his Republican Party. Sargsyan moved to the premier position earlier in April after he reached a term limit after 10 years as president. Protesters accuse him of attempting a power grab under a new parliamentary system of government passed in a 2015 referendum that the opposition says was tainted by irregularities.

Pashinian wants to become prime minister to hold new elections, reform the electoral code and carry out wide reforms of the political system.

Hopes dashed

The Republican Party did not put forward their own prime minister candidate for Tuesday's vote; their decision to block Pashinian's appointment came as something of a surprise after prior reports that they would not use their voting power to stop him.

DW's Nick Connolly in Yerevan said that Pashinian’s calculation appeared to be that he has the street power to force the Rebublican Party to concede.

At the same time the Republican Party may have blocked Pashinian to secure some of their demands.

"Authorities have decided to bide for time, trying to get the opposition to offer concessions," Alexander Iskanderian, director of

the Caucasus Institute in Yerevan, said. "Authorities will obviously want to secure guarantees of immunity from prosecution and seats in a new government."

The political crisis is being watched closely by Armenia's ally Russia, which has two military bases in the country and is wary of so-called color revolutions such as occurred in Ukraine and Georgia.

What's next?

Under the constitution, a second round vote for a prime minister must be held within a week. Parliament will be dissolved and early elections called unless the second vote in parliament produces a new prime minister.

cw/msh (AFP, AP, dpa, Reuters)

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