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Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan on Sunday reappointed Nikol Pashinyan as prime minister after his ruling Civil Contract Party won the country's June parliamentary elections.
"Based on Article 149, Part 1 of the Constitution: Appoint Nikol Pashinyan as prime minister," Khachaturyan said in a decree published on the presidential website.
Pashinyan's Civil Contract Party secured victory in the June vote, paving the way for him to remain in office for another term.
Under Armenia's Constitution, the government resigned after the newly elected National Assembly convened for its first session, with the outgoing Cabinet continuing in a caretaker capacity until a new government is formed.
Pashinyan had said his party would submit its candidate for prime minister to Khachaturyan, with the incumbent expected to lead the next government.
Armenia's government resigned earlier Sunday, as required by the Constitution, after the newly elected parliament convened for its first session in the capital Yerevan.
Pashinyan announced the move in a video address.
"According to Article 158 of the Constitution, the government resigns on the day of the first session of the newly elected National Assembly," he said.
Khachaturyan later signed a decree accepting the resignation of the government headed by Pashinyan.
The first session of Armenia's newly elected National Assembly was also marked by controversy after Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II, head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, was not invited to attend.
Opposition lawmakers criticized the decision, which marked the first time in Armenia's history that the head of the church was not invited to the opening session.
The Armenian Apostolic Church has emerged as one of the government's most outspoken domestic critics in recent years.
Karekin has repeatedly criticized Pashinyan's administration over issues including Armenia's security and relations with Azerbaijan, while Pashinyan has publicly accused senior church leaders of interfering in politics.
Armenia held a parliamentary election on June 7 to elect members of the ninth convocation of the National Assembly.
According to the results, Pashinyan's Civil Contract Party won 49.74% of the vote.
The Strong Armenia Party, led by billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, received 23.27%, while the Armenia Alliance of former President Robert Kocharyan won 9.9%.
Nearly 1.47 million of Armenia's approximately 2.5 million eligible voters cast ballots at 2,005 polling stations nationwide, resulting in a turnout of about 59%.
Sixteen political parties and two political alliances participated in the election.
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