YEREVAN: Armenia’s veteran leader Serzh Sarkisian resigned on Monday after mass protests against his election as prime minister with sweeping powers, sparking celebrations across the impoverished country.
Last week Sarkisian was elected prime minister by lawmakers after serving a decade as president, triggering political turmoil in the Moscow-allied nation of 2.9 million people.
The opposition said the move was designed to extend his chokehold on power under a new parliamentary system of government. Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets of the capital Yerevan in recent days.
The 63-year-old Sarkisian — who earlier refused to step down — stunned the country Monday by saying he was in the wrong and resigning.
His announcement came shortly after the release of protest leader Pashinyan who had been detained by police on Sunday.
“I am leaving the post of the country’s leader,” pro-Moscow Sarkisian was quoted as saying in a statement by his office.
“Nikol Pashinyan was right. I was wrong.”
Sarkisian implied that there were several ways to resolve the crisis and that he could have used force to break up protests but chose not do to it.
“This is not in my nature,” he added.
Sarkisian quit after a number of serving and former soldiers joined the protests.
‘People won’
Armenians cheered the resignation, dancing, hugging each other and setting off fireworks.
“The people won!” shouted supporters of Pashinyan as some people waved national flags and others tooted car horns, on the 11th day of demonstrations.
Spontaneous street parties broke out as tens of thousands took to the streets. Many flocked to stores to buy wine and raise a toast to the country’s future.
“You have won, the proud citizens of Armenia!” Pashinyan, the 42-year-old leader of the Civil Contract Party, wrote on Facebook.
“And no one will be able to take this victory away from you. I congratulate you, the victorious people.”
First Vice Premier Karen Karapetyan has been appointed acting head of government.
Sarkisian remained the country’s top leader even after he transitioned to the post of prime minister following constitutional amendments approved in 2015, which transferred powers from the presidency to the premiership.
Sarkisian, a shrewd former military officer, was first elected president of the impoverished, Moscow-allied country in 2008.
He also held the office of prime minister from 2007 to 2008.
After the 2008 presidential vote, 10 people died in clashes between police and supporters of the defeated opposition candidate.
The Kremlin said it was closely watching the political crisis in Armenia — which hosts a Russian military base — but would not interfere.
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