Tens of thousands of Armenian protesters shut down capital

Protesters say they will stay on the streets until opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan is elected prime minister. (AFP)

Tens of thousands of Armenians on Wednesday converged on the capital, blocking roads and government buildings, as popular anger exploded over the ruling party's rejection of opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan's premiership bid.

In an unprecedented show of defiance, protesters including many elderly people and housewives paralysed Yerevan, with nearly all streets closed to traffic and many stores shut, AFP correspondents reported.