Georgian President signs new edition of Constitution

President of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili has signed the new edition of Constitution that Parliament adopted on September 26.

Margvelashvili announced the news at a press briefing a short time ago.

The President signed the document despite the fact that he disagrees with some of its parts.

Margvelashvili vetoed the constitutional amendments on October 9, but Parliament overrode the veto with 117 votes on October 13.

These are some of the key amendments into the newest edition of Georgia’s Constitution:

• 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;
• The president will be elected by a special council starting in 2024;
• In 2018 the president will still be elected directly but for a six and not a five year term.
• 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.

Another round of constitutional changes is scheduled for next year.