IRI Highlights Flawed Georgia Parliamentary Elections
By Messenger Staff
Tuesday, December 24, 2024
The International Republican Institute (IRI) has released its final report on Georgia's October 2024 parliamentary elections, describing the process as "fundamentally flawed" due to widespread irregularities and significant challenges to electoral integrity. Held amid "historic regional instability and domestic political tension," the elections reflected both Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations and "growing public frustration over the deterioration of fundamental freedoms."
The report cited misuse of public resources by the ruling Georgian Dream party, which allegedly conducted "a widespread campaign to collect profiling data on citizens, reportedly using government resources, in violation of voters' privacy." These actions created an uneven playing field, with the ruling party also accused of leveraging state-funded events to promote candidates and pressuring public servants to participate in partisan activities.
Intimidation tactics were a major concern during the campaign, particularly in rural and ethnic-minority areas, where "widespread and systematic political intimidation and coercion" compromised citizens' freedom of speech and assembly. On election day, measures such as the use of video cameras in polling stations and special pens undermined voter secrecy and further eroded confidence in the process.
The IRI also highlighted the "state capture of electoral and judicial institutions," noting that changes to the Central Election Commission, including removing the opposition-nominated deputy chairperson, heightened concerns about partisanship. Coupled with biased judicial decisions and inadequate responses to electoral disputes, these issues contributed to the public's rejection of the results.
"The democratic principle of citizens accepting election results is fundamental to the stability and legitimacy of any democracy but requires trust in institutions and the electoral process," the report emphasized. Without such trust, the elections failed to provide a credible reflection of the people's will.
In its recommendations, the IRI called on Georgia to prioritize reforms that enhance institutional independence and foster a more inclusive political environment. "Addressing these challenges will be vital to advance Georgia's democratic progress, its aspirations for closer integration with Europe, and ultimately, to ensure elections are a genuine reflection of peoples' will," the report concluded.
