Thousands of people gathered outside the Armenian parliament on the evening of October 2, in scenes reminiscent of the ‘people’s revolution’ earlier this year, after  MPs passed controversial legislation on that could prevent the government from calling snap elections. 

The bill was put forward by the Republican Party that ruled Armenia for years until the mass protests in April and May this year forced prime minister Serzh Sargsyan to step down. 

Sargsyan was succeeded as prime minister by protest leader Nikol Pashinian, who told journalists earlier on October 2 that snap elections would be held in December. 

The bill amends the existing Law on Regulations of the National Assembly, and states that if a parliament session cannot be held because of lack of quorum, or if MPs are prevented from participating, it should be considered interrupted rather than failed, and resumed at a later date. The aim appears to be to limit the circumstances under which the parliament can be dissolved. 

In addition to Republican Party PMs, the bill was also supported by lawmakers from the Prosperous Armenia and ARF/Dashnaktsutyun parties. 67 MPs voted in favour, while others stayed away as Pashinian had urged them not to register for the vote. 

An ARF/Dashnaktsutyun representative told Yerkirmedia.am that the party is withdrawing its two ministers — Economic Development Minister Artsvik Minasyan and Agriculture Minister Artur Khachatryan — from Pashinian’s government, and will also withdraw its regional governors. 

Speaking to journalists at the parliament, Pashinian accused those behind the bill of being counter-revolutionaries. 

Later, Pashinian urged Armenians to gather outside the parliament to prevent the session from taking place. 

“All of us to the National Assembly. The [Republican Party] holds a special session,” he wrote on his Facebook page. 

He reiterated his warning of a counter-revolution in his address to the crowd. 

“The Republican Party of Armenia and the facilitating forces have officially declared the counter-revolution by introducing a draft law on amendments to the parliament’s regulations. However, the counter-revolution has no chance in Armenia,” the prime minister said, News.am reported. 

ArmRadio reports from Yerevan that Pashinian has announced he will resign as prime minister as soon as the decisions on dismissing ministers and governors representing ARF/Dashnaktsutyun and Prosperous Armenia come into force. 

As of 10.30 local time, Pashinian had entered the parliament for talks with parliamentary parties, local media reported. With the crowd still outside, MPs have been unable to leave the building.