Political power shifts to Armenia's prime minister

Significance

Armenia is undergoing a complete change of governance model and President Serzh Sargsyan is stepping down voluntarily, a rare event in the former Soviet Union. His replacement is a relatively uncontroversial figure, and the ruling Republican Party's decision to nominate a political outsider is an attempt to repair the battered image of government politics.

Impacts

• The constitutional power shift consolidates the Republican Party's position but it will still need a coalition.
• Public responses to this remote electoral process have yet to emerge.
• The new president's moral authority may be tested in a domestic or regional crisis.