Armenian protest movement leader Nikol Pashinian has pledged “No oligarchs in the Cabinet” with parliament poised to elect him interim prime minister on May 8.

Pashinian who has campaigned against cronyism and corruption in the small, impoverished nation of three million, reportedly told RFE/RL on May 7: "I can assure you that there will not be oligarchs in government. There will be no monopolies in our economy if I am elected."

The first vote to appoint Pashinian prime minister on May 1 failed after the incumbent Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) abstained from the vote. A second attempt to appoint a prime minister must be held within a week, but in the second vote the candidate only needs a third of the votes, not the simple majority necessary in the first vote. Pashinian is standing unopposed in the May 8 election and the opposition parties command 47 votes – more than the needed 35 votes from the total 105 seats in parliament.

However, Pashinian's appointment as prime minister could still be blocked by HHK if it uses its majority 58 votes to put forward and votes for its own candidate.

Pashinian also told journalists that he would not pursue revenge against his political adversaries if elected, while he said on May 5 that he would not rule out cooperation with HHK if he becomes prime minister.

"There will not be a vendetta. In Armenia, the page of political and economic persecution has been closed," he said.

Tens of thousands of people attended a mass rally called by Pashinian in Yerevan for May 7 as he sought to demonstrate that he retains popular support on the eve of a parliamentary vote on whether he should be prime minister.

Separately, Ararat Mirzoian, one of Pashinian's close aides, told RFE/RL that, if elected prime minister, the opposition leader will strive to break up economic monopolies, boost competition, and separate business from government.

But Mirzoian said that wealthy business people linked to the outgoing Armenian government would not risk losing their assets once Pashinian is appointed.

Pashinian three days ago pledged that he would call snap elections once in office, but only when he was "convinced they would be legitimate and transparent."

As he took to the stage of the rally on Yerevan's central Republic Square, Pashinian was joined by Armenian-American rock star and activist Serj Tankian, the lead singer of alternative-metal band System of a Down.

Tankian told the crowds: “You managed to turn your anger and despair into a positive movement.”

Then he performed a fragment from a popular Armenian patriotic song, Bari Aragil (Kind Stork), accompanied by the crowds.

During the short rally, Pashinian said he had "a 95% chance" of winning the prime-minister nomination on May 8. He urged his supporters to assemble again on Republic Square at 11am to celebrate what would be "an epochal victory."

Pashinian has threatened to stage another massive campaign of non-violent civil disobedience if the ruling HHK does not elect him as prime minister. In a first vote that provided them with the opportunity to do so, the HHK decided not to but later said that in the second vote they would accept Pashinian if he received one-third of the votes of MPs.

The anti-government protests forced HHK leader and long-time former president Serzh Sargsyan to step down as prime minister on April 23, just days after he was elected to the position by parliament.