Constitutional changes in electoral system –Public discussions begin
By Natalia Kochiashvili
Wednesday, September 4
The Georgian Parliament approved the draft resolution with 118 votes, which envisages the publication of the draft amendments to the Constitution of Georgia for public discussion and the establishment of a 13-member steering committee.
At the September 3 plenary session, lawmakers also adopted the second resolution of the same content with 114 votes, as two drafts of constitutional amendments were tabled in parliament. Both envisaged abolition of the majoritarian electoral system.
With the changes initiated by the Georgian Dream parliamentary majority, the next 2020 parliamentary elections will be held only on a proportional basis, not by 2024, as the current constitution provides. By the initiative of the Georgian Dream, the so-called 3% electoral barriers should be changed and the creation of election blocs should be banned.
According to a constitutional amendment initiated by parliament with more than 200,000 citizens signed by 20 opposition parties, parliamentary elections under the proportional system should be held at a 3% threshold and should not prohibit the creation of election blocs.
The draft resolution was presented by the Chairman of the Parliament, Archil Talakvadze. He said that in 2017 “Georgian Dream” adopted a new constitution, according to which is transition to proportional electoral system was to happen for 2024 elections, but since “Georgian Dream” is accountable and responsible political force in regard to the public, it agreed to meet young people’s demand of introducing proportional change for 2020.
“We are changing it and it will be implemented in 2020 with a proportional system and a natural 0 barrier. This democratic decision qualitatively opens the political system for participation. Every political force that has real support and assures the constituency in the superiority of its leaders and the competitiveness of its plans, has the opportunity to gain representation in the next parliament,” said Talakvadze at a parliamentary session.
Representatives of "European Georgia" returned to the parliament to support the resolutions prepared to discuss the constitutional amendments, who had previously left the hall in protest of the nomination of Giorgi Gakharia as prime minister and changes in the cabinet of ministers.
“We fully agree with the demand of a part of the society that considers it unacceptable to nominate Gakharia as Prime Minister, but as a result of the demand of the same part of society, there has been a real prospect of changing the electoral system and moving to proportional elections. That is why we, as a political party and opposition, are obliged not to back down from this perspective and give no excuse to say that the opposition does not support or lack votes to move on this initiative,” said Davit Bakradze ahead of the polls.
As a result of protests, the ruling Georgian Dream party has agreed to abolish the majoritarian system by 2020 as a result of protests that began on June 20. One of the demands of participants in anti-Russian protests was to move to a proportional electoral system.
The Georgian Dream does not have a constitutional majority in the Parliament, so it needs the support of the opposition to amend the constitution.
