The Procedure for Dismissing the Prime Minister According to the Constitution: Argam Yeghiazaryan

The procedure for expressing no confidence in the Prime Minister of Armenia is established by Article 115 of the Constitution of Armenia. According to this article, a draft resolution to express no confidence can be submitted by one-third of the deputies (from the Prosperous Armenia Party and the Bright Armenia Party) if there is a candidate for a new Prime Minister (Vazgen Manukyan) included in the resolution.

The decision is accepted by a majority of the votes of the deputies. There are 131 deputies in total, of which 24 are from the Prosperous Armenia Party, 17 from the Bright Armenia Party, and 6 are independents (Vardan Atabekyan, Sergey Bagratyan, Taguhi Tovmasyan, Tigran Urikhanyan, Gagik Gevorgyan, and one living being whose name I won't write here). If we exclude these deputies, there will be 45 left (a majority of 66 votes is necessary). This means that 11 additional My Step coalition deputies' votes are still needed (whether all 45 will vote in favor is still in question).

Two deputies from My Step have resigned their mandates for other positions, and their replacements have not yet been appointed.

During states of emergency or martial law, a resolution in parliament cannot be submitted or discussed regarding expressing no confidence in the Prime Minister, and such a regime is still in effect in Armenia.

There is another negative aspect in the Constitution: if a draft on no confidence is presented to the National Assembly and it is not accepted, then the next such proposal can enter at least 6 months later. Consequently, it is nearly impossible to legally remove the 'zranenq sheytan' given the stance of the Bright Armenia Party and the loyalty of My Step deputies to their leader.

Argam Yeghiazaryan