President: Those elected to Parliament are responsible to voters

People elected into Georgia’s Parliament have a responsibility to the Georgian public to act credibly and appropriately, believes Georgia’s President Giorgi Margvelashvili. 

The President’s spokesperson Eka Mishveladze voiced Margvelashvili’s views about the responsibilities of elected Parliamentarians at her regular press conference this afternoon.

Her comment was in response to a question about opposition United National Movement (UNM) party criticizing the legitimacy of the October 8 Parliamentary Election results and possibly boycotting the second round of voting.

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The President believes that participation in the elections and those who work in Parliament have a responsibility to their voters, as representatives of political parties in a democratic state,” said Mishveladze this afternoon.

UNM gained 27.11 percent of votes in the proportional elections and a large number of the party’s candidates were due to participate in the second round of the majoritarian race. 

However in recent days party leaders contradicted the statements of all local and international election observers and said the election results had been "falsified” and the party was now discussing whether to continue striving for seats in Parliament or to boycott the institution.

Mishveladze noted all parties had a "political responsibility” to their voters but noted all parties could choose their own agenda.

In the days prior to the elections Margvelashvili said he hoped the next Parliament would be a "multi-party”  legislative body but official election results show this will not be the case, as only three parties overcame the five percent threshold outlined in election legislation, Mishveladze said. 

President's Press Speaker Eka Mishveladze voiced President Giorgi Margvelashvili's  attitudes over elections. 

Today Mishveladze also voiced President Margvelashvili’s view on the election results; he said it was "regrettable” some pro-Western political parties that didn’t gain seats in Parliament had split. 

Finally, the President appealed to all voters to participate in the second round in majoritarian districts where a runoff was needed.

• Georgia has a mixed electoral system where 73 lawmakers out of the 150 –seat legislative body are elected through majoritarian elections. The remaining 77 are elected via party lists through proportional voting. 
• In the proportional vote only three parties overcame the five percent threshold to enter Parliament.
• Ruling Georgian Dream –Democratic Georgia (GDDG) party received 48.668 % of votes (44 seats in Parliament).
• Opposition United National Movement (UNM) gained 27.111% of votes (27 seats in Parliament).
• Opposition Alliance of Patriots gained 5.006% of votes (6 seats in Parliament). 
• In the majoritarian race, the ruling party won outright in 23 election districts. 
• In the remaining 50 districts a second round of elections was scheduled, as no candidates gained the minimum 50 percent of votes.
• Of these 50 districts, the ruling party will challenge in 49 districts and UNM candidates will challenge in 45 districts. (GDDG and UNM will directly oppose one another in 44 districts).
• October 27, 2016 is the deadline for the Central Election Commission to summarize the first round of elections.
• Legislation states November 2 is the latest date when the second round of voting can take place.
• November 21 is the deadline for the Central Election Commission to evaluate the second round of voting.