President signs amendments for political party funding

The Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili has signed parliament-approved amendments for the state financing of political parties, which means the changes have come into play. 

The amendments, which were initiated by two Georgian Dream ruling party lawmakers in 2017, were opposed by the opposition and the civil sector.

The amendments read that:

• A party which will gain at least one majoritarian seat in the 150-member legislative body and if the lawmaker manages to establish a faction [composed of 6 MPs as a minimum), the party will receive state funding.
• Those parties which will manage to gain at least 3 percent of votes in parliamentary or local elections [in an election bloc or independently] will receive funds from the state budget.

The opposition and the civil sector believe that it is misspending of budgetary funds when a party with a single representative in the legislative body has the chance to receive the budgetary money.

The Georgian Dream lawmaker Gia Zhorzholiani is one of the initiators of the changes. Photo: ipress.ge.

The fact that a political party could gain only a single seat in parliament means that the party has no public support,” the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy says.

After the 2016 parliamentary elections the number of political parties which receive state funding increased from 11 to 20, which costs about $4 million from the state budget annually. 

• State funding is available for 'qualified political parties' – referring to parties, which separately or together with others in an electoral bloc, gained more than three percent of votes in the parliamentary elections and three percent votes in  municipal elections.
• The basic financing for qualified political parties is equivalent to $121,000 (300,000 GEL). However parties can gain more (or less if there are several parties in a bloc) funding based on the number of votes it received in the elections and  the number of gained mandates.
• For example if a party gained six percent of votes in the election it will receive $242,000 (600,000 GEL) instead of the $121,000 (300,000 GEL). 
• Parties that overcome mandatory thresholds in the elections will also receive one-off financing from the state budget that amounts to no less than $403,252 (one million GEL) to cover pre-election expenses. 
• If a party list presented by a qualified election party was gender balanced it can also receive an additional $36,292 (90,000 GEL). 
• A qualified political party will retain financing until the next elections.