Georgian Electoral Crisis

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The Parliament of Georgia. Photo: Shota Kincha/OC Media.

European Georgia

Georgia transforms electoral system ahead of October parliamentary elections

by OC Media

•3 min read

Georgian lawmakers have voted in favour of constitutional amendments to change the country’s electoral system to a more proportional one. In the amendments’ third and final reading on Monday, MPs voted 117 to three in favour of the reforms, just two more than the 115 votes needed. The bill was supported by the ruling Georgian Dream Party, the opposition Alliance of Patriots, and dozens of independent MPs who have left Georgian Dream since the 2016 elections with various grievances. Two op

Opposition meeting on 13 May 2020. Photo: Tabula

2020 Georgian Parliamentary Elections

Dispute over ‘political prisoners’ put Georgia’s electoral reforms in doubt

by OC Media

•3 min read

As anti-coronavirus measures in Georgia ease, a dispute over the release of opposition politicians and activists threatens to undermine a deal to reform the electoral system before October’s elections. Parliamentary opposition parties European Georgia and the United National Movement (UNM) have warned that they will not vote in favour of the reforms unless three imprisoned opposition figures are released. In a statement on 13 May, a board opposition coalition including European Georgia and U

2019 Gavrilov’s Night Protests

Georgian opposition parties boycott parliament

by OC Media

•4 min read

MPs from all opposition parties have begun a boycott of Georgia’s parliament over the government’s U-turn on introducing proportional elections for the 2020 elections. On Tuesday parliament reconvened for the Spring session with only MPs from the ruling Georgian Dream Party and independents attending. It came after the Alliance of Patriots and Social Democrats group and their 7 MPs joined the European Georgia and United National Movement (UNM) parties in their boycott over the ‘broken promis

Davit Usupashvili

‘Multi-member constituencies’ proposed as Georgian Dream– opposition talks restart

by OC Media

•4 min read

As street protests continue in Georgia, the ruling Georgian Dream party has said they are ‘considering’ a proposal to introduce ‘multi-member constituencies’ to the electoral system. The opposition also said they would consider the proposal, which falls far short of the government’s promise in June to scrap individual constituencies and move to a fully proportional system. Georgian Dream’s executive Secretary Irakli Kobakhidze told media following the latest negotiations on Sunday that t

Riot police use water canon to disperse demonstrators during a protest against the government. Photo: Mari Nikuradze/OC Media

2020 Georgian Parliamentary Elections

Riot police deploy water cannons to clear Georgian Parliament of protesters

by OC Media

•5 min read

The Georgian authorities have cleared the area around parliament and Tbilisi’s central Rustaveli Avenue, deploying riot police and water cannons. Protesters had been blockading the entrances to parliament since Sunday evening, preventing MPs from entering. They were demonstrating against parliament’s failure to deliver promised reforms to Georgia’s electoral system. The Interior Ministry said they detained 18 people during the dispersal for ‘hooliganism’ and ‘disobeying police’. The Gi

A protester holds a poster saying ‘Fuck Bidzina’ in Russian outside parliament on Sunday. Photo: Mari Nikuradze/OC Media.

2020 Georgian Parliamentary Elections

Georgian opposition vows to blockade parliament following weekend of protests

by OC Media

•7 min read

Several Georgian opposition groups have vowed to prevent MPs from entering parliament after the ruling party failed to pass electoral reforms last week. Georgian Dream is facing street protests from an unprecedented spectrum of opposition groups over their U-turn over the reforms. ‘All against one’ was the slogan of Sunday’s rally in Tbilisi, which united a wide spectrum of opposition groups against the ruling Georgian Dream party. Gathered outside parliament for a third consecutive day,

Bidzina Ivanishvili

More Georgian Dream MPs abandon party over electoral reform u-turn

by OC Media

•5 min read

Twelve Georgian Dream MPs have now left the ruling party after their colleagues voted down an electoral reform package promised to protesters five months ago. Among those to abandon Georgian Dream since yesterday’s vote in parliament are two deputy speakers and the chairs of the EU integration, foreign affairs, and education committees. Three members of the party’s Conservatives faction, including faction leader Giga Bukia, announced their departure from Georgian Dream on Friday. [Read