YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — The president of Armenia has announced his resignation, complaining that his office is not granted sufficient powers to allow him to be an effective head of state.
Armen Sarkissian was chosen as president by the national parliament in 2018 as Armenia was transitioning from a presidential system of government to a parliamentary one. He was recommended for the job by outgoing President Serzh Sargsyan.
In his resignation statement Sunday, Sarkissian said when he decided to take the post, “I was relying on the proposal made to me, according to which the new presidential institution will have tools, opportunities to influence foreign policy, economic, investment policy.”
But, he said, “the president does not have the necessary tools.”
Under the system of government begun in 2018, the president is head of state but is largely a figurehead.
After Sarkissian was inaugurated as president, Sargsyan was named prime minister. But that move to remain the country’s leader sparked mass protests and he resigned a week later. Protest leader Nikol Pashinyan became prime minister.
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