New Constitution of Georgia comes into play as the presidential inauguration is over

The new constitution of Georgia, which was adopted in 2017, has automatically come into play after the yesterday’s presidential inauguration.

The new constitution says that “the state constitutional bodies shall take all necessary measures to ensure Georgia’s full integration into the EU and NATO.”

It also reads that the 2020 parliamentary elections will employ a mixed electoral system and the election threshold will be lowered from 5 to 3 percent. At the same time, parties will be able to form political blocs, however only for the 2020 elections.

The key points of the new constitution are as follows:

• Georgia will switch to fully proportional elections in 2024.
• The 2020 parliamentary elections will still be held through the existing mixed proportional and majoritarian system but the election threshold will be lowered to 3 percent from 5 percent for these elections only.
• Members of Parliament who will nominated by one political party will be able to form one parliamentary faction.
• MP must be 25-year-old at least. [Previously the age was 21].
• The president will be elected by a special council starting in 2024;
• Selling agricultural lands to foreign nationals will be prohibited.
• The opposition rights in parliament will be boosted, permitting them to create investigative commissions and others.
• Kutaisi is not indicated as the location town of parliament. The parliamentary activities are fulling returning to Tbilisi.
• Marriage has been defined as the union of a man and a woman for the purpose to create a family.
• Prosecutor’s Office will perform separately from the Ministry of Justice. Chief Prosecutors will be elected by parliament for six years.
• Public defenders will also be elected for six years and the same person will not be able to re-run to the post.
• Prime Minister is responsible for government activities and appointment and dismissal of ministers. He is accountable before the parliament.