The Armenian parliament failed two attempts to elect opposition lawmaker Ishkhan Saghatelyan as Vice-President of the National Assembly on Thursday, August 5.

In order to be elected in the post, Saghatelyan needs to collect at least 54 votes, but he fell short of the threshold both times due to invalid ballots.

Before the session, Nazeli Baghdasaryan from the ruling Civil Contract party declared that her colleagues would provide enough votes to make sure that Saghatelyan was successfully elected, in order to facilitate the full formation and activity of the National Assembly.

In the June 20 snap elections, caretaker Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s Civil Contract party won 54% of the vote (71 seats), while Hayastan (Armenia) bloc headed by second President Robert Kocharyan secured 22% of the ballots (29 seats). "I Have Honor" bloc is getting seven seats in the parliament.