First session of new Parliament appointed
By Tea Mariamidze
Friday, November 18
The first session of the new Parliament of Georgia, elected in October, will be held on November 18 in Kutaisi , West Georgia. The date was appointed by the President of Georgia, Giorgi Margvelashvili, on Thursday.
“The President appointed the date of the first session after holding consultations with all political parties,” the Presidential Administration stated.
Margvelashvili used his executive right and appointed the date of the session after the Central Election Commission (CEC) published the summarizing protocol of the election results on Wednesday.
According to the document, only three political parties managed to pass the election threshold and gain seats in Georgia’s ninth Parliament.
Based on the parliamentary procedures, during the first session the legislative body will elect the Parliament Speaker, the Vice-Speakers and the Chairmen of the Committees.
At least 76 votes are necessary for the Parliament Speaker candidate to be elected.
The parliamentary majority, minority, and any faction that isn’t affiliated with the majority or minority, or a group of six lawmakers, are eligible to nominate candidates for the Parliament Speaker and Vice-Speakers, as well as the heads of 15 committees in Parliament.
The new Parliament will start working right after the authority of at least two thirds of the MPs will be recognized. After this, the authority of the current government and Parliament will be suspended automatically and the procedures of the formation of the new Parliament will be launched.
According to the procedures, the majority will present their candidate on the post of the Prime Minister within 5 days after suspension of old government’s term.
The presented PM candidate will chose the Cabinet members and present them to the parliament. The parliament will have 7 days to approve or disapprove the new government.
The candidate for Prime Minister and the updated Cabinet of Ministers needs to be confirmed by a majority of Parliament Members, meaning they must gain at least 76 votes out of the 150-seat Parliament.
