GEORGIA'S ELECTORAL SYSTEM: IMPLEMENTED REFORMS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHALLENGES

Abstract

On June 28, 2021, in the third reading, the Parliament of Georgia adopted amendments to the Election Code, the purpose of which was to improve the election legislation. The work process lasted several months and the final version of the document also reflected the provisions of the agreement signed between the political parties on April 19, 2021.

            The implemented legislative changes regulate several important issues more fairly and better. However, the law did not reflect certain topics that need to be changed to improve the independence and impartiality of the election administration, as well as the local self-government election system and other regulations.

            At the same time, the adopted changes to a large extent regulate the legal framework for the upcoming elections and ensure the establishment of a stable, sustainable electoral legislation.

            Important positive changes include the following:

• The manner of staffing election commissions at all three levels has become relatively fairer. The number of members appointed by the parties has increased and each party will nominate only one member. The election of CEC professional members for a full term (5 years) will require the consent of ⅔ of the Parliament instead of a simple majority;
• When staffing municipal councils, the electoral threshold was reduced and the share of proportionally elected council members increased, therefore, the changes ensure a more proportional reflection of the voters' will in the mandates; In order to be elected as the majority of the council in the first round, it was necessary to obtain the support of at least 40% of the voters;
• The ban on participation in agitation during working hours has been extended to all civil servants, and it has also been extended to employees in pre-school and general public educational institutions;
• A special database of authorized persons will be formed to submit complaints to the higher election commissions, and it will be possible to submit complaints electronically; Also, certain deadlines for appeals and appeals/lawsuits have been extended;

The present document summarizes the final joint evaluations of the electoral reform regarding the main changes introduced by the Parliament of Georgia to the Election Code.

In addition, the document presents recommendations, which should be considered for the 2024 parliamentary and 2025 local self-government elections.

Index Terms – Elections in Georgia, Democratization, Europeanization, Challenges