Opposition Calls for Lowering Electoral Threshold, Georgian Dream Rejects
By Liza Mchedlidze
Tuesday, November 14, 2023
Following the positive recommendation from the European Commission regarding candidate status, the opposition reminded the government of a promise made a year ago.
In July 2022, Irakli Kobakhidze announced that after attaining candidate status, the parliamentary elections in 2024 would be conducted with a fully proportional system and a 2% electoral threshold. Now, the opposition is demanding the reduction of the threshold from 5% to 2% for the upcoming parliamentary elections.
However, the government's response to the opposition is that they intended the promise to be fulfilled at the end of 2022, not 2023.
Chairman of the Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, addressed this issue and stated that the 5% threshold is adequate and that the request to lower it is inappropriate.
"This demand stands no chance, the 2024 elections are scheduled for October. Everyone has known for a long time that there is a 5% threshold; they should prepare for these elections," Papuashvili said.
He emphasized that in 2022, when the ruling party promised to lower the threshold, the context was different.
"The context was that a positive decision, granting the status of a candidate, would reduce polarization. Within the context of this decreased polarization, reconsidering the matter would become a possibility.
Not that it has decreased; in fact, in general, we have witnessed an additional year of turbulence. Next year, let's observe the opposition. I don't think the opposition is ready to move away from the radical agenda," said Papuashvili.
