Prime minister Serzh Sargsyan was forced to step down after weeks of mass demonstrations. Many hoped he would be replaced by a more honest and honourable man, Nikol Pashinyan. On 2 May 96% of Armenia’s capital, Yerevan, came to a standstill as thousands blocked roads when parliament refused to elect Mr Pashinyan as the new prime minister. They blocked roads to the airport, and roads to government buildings. Protests are expected to continue; even government employees have joined the protest movement called the ‘velvet revolution’.