Speaker Alen Simonyan confirms exit from parliament

Outgoing National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan said on Thursday that he does not plan to retain his parliamentary mandate.

“I will not take the mandate, I will not come to parliament. I want to rest,” Simonyan told reporters at the National Assembly. 

The shakeup comes amid political maneuvering within the ruling Civil Contract party leading up to the seating of Armenia’s new parliament following the June 7 national election. The election’s results are currently being appealed at the Constitutional Court by a coalition of opposition parties, with a final decision due by Saturday.  

Simonyan said his decision is rooted in the party’s decision to not reappoint him parliamentary speaker. “I wanted to continue my work as Speaker of the National Assembly, but there is a governing board, and I am subject to its decisions,” he said. Simonyan added that he made the decision to give up his seat in parliament altogether after consultations with Pashinyan. He stressed that he harbors no resentment over the decision and believes he can still be useful to the country in another capacity.

“I have no grievances. I assume I will be useful to my state somewhere else,” Simonyan said, adding that no discussions have taken place regarding a potential future role for him. 

Simonyan dismissed media reports suggesting he had been offered the post of Armenia’s president.

“I have never had such a conversation with anyone. Such discussions are absurd. I learned from the media that there was talk of an ambassadorial position or the presidency. There have been no such discussions,” he said. 

At the same time, Simonyan said he is not leaving politics and intends to remain active in public life, adding that he would consider any future offers for public office. Over his tenure Simonyan has been a fixture in the media, frequently using harsh rhetoric and clashing with journalists. 

On June 25, the ruling Civil Contract party selected Deputy Speaker Ruben Rubinyan as its candidate for National Assembly speaker through a closed ballot vote of its governing board. Simonyan said he considers Rubinyan “the best candidate” who could succeed him as speaker of parliament. 

The parliamentary speaker’s role includes presiding over the National Assembly and its agenda, as well as maintaining order in the body. The speaker signs legislation passed by the parliament before forwarding them to the president for final enactment. 

The speaker is considered the highest official of Armenia’s legislative branch, and in the case of a presidential vacancy, assumes the acting presidency until a new president is selected. Simonyan served as acting president in early 2022 due to the sudden resignation of President Armen Sargsyan.