[44] The revolution signaled a significant shift in Armenia's domestic politics, with pro-Russian politicians being ousted from power and a reformist government taking their place.

The reformist government sought to distance itself from Russia's aggressive tactics and realign Armenia with the Western values of democracy and human rights.

[46] Demonstrations and protests began in March 2018, when members of the Republican Party did not exclude the option of nominating Serzh Sargsyan for the prime minister's post.

[51] Protesters had vowed to block the party's headquarters on April 14, where leaders were going to gather to formally nominate Serzh Sargsyan for prime minister.

The Republican Party held its meeting outside of the capital Yerevan and unanimously voted to formally nominate Serzh Sargsyan for the office of prime minister.

On April 17, the day that the prime minister's election was scheduled, the protesters intended to block entrances to the building of the National Assembly in order to prevent the vote from taking place.

[58] After the election of the former president Serzh Sargsyan as the new prime minister, the protests continued to grow, despite hundreds of people being detained by police.

[66] The meeting, which lasted for a mere three minutes,[67] failed to achieve anything, with Sargsyan walking out of it and accusing the opposition of "blackmail" when Pashinyan stated he had only agreed to discuss terms of the Prime Minister's resignation and nothing else.

[68] During the meeting, Sargsyan asked Pashinyan not to speak on behalf of the people and not to issue ultimatums to the government, given the low level of support for his political alliance (less than 10 percent of the vote in the past parliamentary elections).

[69] Immediately after the meeting, Pashinyan led a group of supporters from the site of the meeting by Republic Square on a long march down Tigran Mets and Artsakh streets to the Erebuni district, where they were met by riot police and stun grenades as Pashinyan was detained followed by mass detentions of protestors, including opposition lawmakers Sasun Mikayelyan and Ararat Mirzoyan.

By the evening 232 protestors had been detained or arrested,[72] and, according to Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, tens of thousands[73] gathered in Republic Square to continue to demand the resignation of PM Serzh Sargsyan.

The police issued a statement saying that Pashinyan, Mikaelyan and Mirzoyan had been detained for 72 hours; however criminal charges could only be brought against them if the Republican-controlled National Assembly stripped them of their parliamentary immunity.

[82][83] He added that the protest movement should nominate this transitional prime minister, a position that was rejected by the current government as it would violate the law.

[84] Meanwhile, the Prosperous Armenia Party and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation both declared their support for Pashinyan's movement, with the latter pulling out of the ruling coalition.

[93] Parliament held elections for a new prime minister, with the opposition leader Pashinyan the only nominee, as over 100,000 people watched the 9 hour session being broadcast live at Republic Square.

After the election, prominent Armenian singers such as Iveta Mukuchyan and Sona Shahgeldyan performed for the crowd and made inspiring speeches.

Approximately 150,000 people gathered in another evening rally in Republic Square to listen to Pashinyan speak, and were told that he had been informed that due to the strike, the ruling party had decided to support his candidacy in the next round of voting on May 8.

In particular, well-known musician Serj Tankian of System of a Down addressed the activists declaring his solidarity and support, stressing the impermissibility of one-party rule in Armenia.

[100] Mamikon Hovespyan, Director of Pink Armenia, an LGBT rights group, stated "while LGBT+ people were present at previous protests, this time they were more visible and accepted.

[103] During the 2020 Belarusian protests, the Armenian revolution was brought up as a model for Belarus for its lack of anti-Russian or pro-Western geopolitical orientation by commentators such as Carl Bildt,[113][114] Anders Åslund,[115] Ian Bremmer,[116] Yaroslav Trofimov,[117] Ben Judah,[118] and others.

In July 2018, in the exhibition hall "Albert and Tove Boyajyan" of the State Academy of Fine Arts of Armenia, art historian Meri Ghazaryan organized a photo exhibition entitled "Velvet Revolution: Between Picture and Reality", which presented the works of young photographers who caught the fresh breath of the revolution, known and unknown pages of spring events, impressive episodes and faces.