Georgian PM: election agreement will strengthen democracy, decrease polarisation
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia has thanked the diplomatic corps for mediating talks between the ruling party and the opposition. Photo: Prime Minister’s press office.
Tweet 
Share
Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia says that yesterday's agreement between the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party and the opposition on how to hold the 2020 parliamentary elections is an ‘important step’ to further strengthen democracy in Georgia, decrease polarisation and help the stable development of the country.
Gakharia has thanked the diplomatic corps in the country for mediating in talks on the election issue.
They have contributed much towards the conclusion of the agreement,” Gakharia said.
The ruling party and the opposition agreed to hold upcoming elections in the autumn with 120 seats in the legislative body distributed via a proportional vote and the remaining 30 via the majoritarian system.
The US Congressman Adam Kinzinger tweeted:
My heartfelt “congrats” to the people of #Georgia for reaching an agreement on the 2020 parliamentary elections. Democracy is hard work, but worth it. Speaker Talakvadze and many others deserve appreciation for their work. Larger statement to follow later.
— Adam Kinzinger (@RepKinzinger) March 8, 2020
The agreement also foresees a ‘fair composition of election districts’, a one per cent election threshold, and a cap recognising that no single party that wins less than 40 per cent of the votes should be able to form a majority in the next parliament.
Find out more about why there was controversy surrounding the 2020 elections here.
The ruling Georgian Dream party and the united opposition have reached an agreement on holding the upcoming parliamentary elections this October with 120 seats in the legislative body to be distributed via a proportional vote and the remaining 30 via the majoritarian system.
The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) Secretary General and Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze says that GD has made two offers to the opposition on how to hold the 2020 parliamentary elections. Kaladze says that the offers pertain to the distribution of seats in the 150-member parliament. He stated that there is disagreement within the opposition which makes it difficult to reach an agreement.
The opposition leader Giorgi Vashadze says that the ruling Georgian Dream party has made a new offer - a 110/40 electoral model - for the parliamentary elections later this year, with 110 seats in the legislative body distributed via proportional voting and the remaining 40 via the majoritarian system.
The Georgian opposition parties plan to nominate joint majoritarian candidates if the upcoming parliamentary elections later this year will be held per the existing electoral system, with 77 seats in the legislative body distributed via proportional voting and the remaining 73 via the majoritarian system.
Foreign leaders and diplomats have congratulated Georgia for coming to an agreement about the electoral system for the 2020 parliamentary elections, which will feature a 120/30 distribution between proportional and majoritarian votes.
Georgian Foreign Minister David Zalklaiani has met with the Ambassador of Sweden to Georgia Ulrik Tidestrom and the Ambassador of Germany to Georgia Hubert Knirsch to discuss issues for deeper cooperation between the countries.