Few members of ruling party want to hold elections with full majoritarian system
By Nika Gamtsemlidze
Friday, December 6
Dimitri Khundadze, majoritarian MP, who was one of those who voted against the proportional electoral system, registered Initiative Group on the transition to the full majoritarian system.
“The electoral topic remains very popular. Even though the majority had made its mind, this topic is still very popular,” noted Khundadze.
As the lawmaker explains, his initiative is a compromise option, as the change is not linked to the 2020 parliamentary elections.
Khundadze will try to register a draft of the constitutional amendment, which he says involves the US electoral system and a two-chamber parliament.
More than half of the parliament members (76 MPs) or at least 200,000 voters have the right to submit a draft constitutional amendment.
Khundadze registered an initiative group on December 4 that will begin collecting signatures after undergoing appropriate procedures.
"I hope that most of the public will see this as a positive thing and then we will see which MP does not support such a high level of public demand,” said the MP.
As a member of the Georgian Dream observes, although there are differences of opinion on the constitutional changes within the ruling party, he will not change his position. According to him, today the project is supported by 10 lawmakers. As he said, the ruling party had a meeting, discussing this issue.
“Unfortunately, there was tension during the meeting. We could not agree if this bill should be initiated and discussed, but I won’t change my mind and will try to ask people what they think,” noted Khundadze.
MP Eka Beselia, a former member of the ruling party, says that everything that is happening is just a ‘performance.’ According to Beselia, presenting new initiatives creates more chaos in the current situation.
“I think it looks like a very chaotic situation. There are parliamentary elections in a few months and we still do not know how we are going to conduct the elections,” noted Beselia.
The Georgian Dream has agreed to abolish the next majoritarian system for the next 2020 elections and move to a fully proportional electoral system as a result of anti-occupation protests that began on June 20; Bidzina Ivanishvili, the chairman of the ruling party, personally pledged to meet one of the activists' demands.
However, the constitutional amendments initiated by the Georgian Dream ruling party did not get enough votes, as it was not a supporter by some members of the ruling party. After the decision was announced, several members of the ruling party left their mandate.
