Armenian Parliament Speaker Alen Simonyan has announced that he will step down and give up his parliamentary mandate after the ruling Civil Contract party nominated a new candidate to lead the next National Assembly.

Speaking to reporters, Simonyan said he accepted the party's decision to back current Deputy Speaker Ruben Rubinyan for the position and would not remain in parliament as a lawmaker, The Caspian Post reports via News.am.

"I accept the decision of my team and will not continue my work as speaker of the National Assembly," Simonyan said, adding that he had discussed the move with Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan.

The announcement marks a significant leadership transition within Armenia's ruling party as the country prepares for a new parliamentary term.

Simonyan, who became the longest-serving parliament speaker in Armenia's history to complete a full term, said he had initially hoped to continue in the role but viewed the change as a natural part of the political process.

Reflecting on his tenure, he described the outgoing legislature as one of the country's most challenging, saying lawmakers had navigated the difficult post-war period and numerous political crises.

He also revealed plans to step back from public life for a time before considering his next role, expressing confidence that he would continue serving Armenia and his party in the future.

The ruling Civil Contract party has already approved Rubinyan as its nominee to become the next speaker when the newly elected National Assembly convenes.