PACE monitors express ‘deep regret’ over parliament’s rejection of election bill
Titus Corlatean and Claude Kern call on all political forces and in particularly the ruling majority “to explore ways in which these amendments could still be passed before the coming elections”. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge
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The co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for the monitoring of Georgia have expressed their “deep regret” that the Georgian Dream ruling party proposed bill, which aimed to introduce a fully proportional election system starting in 2020, was rejected earlier today.
We deplore the lack of support for these amendments. The introduction of a proportional system has been called for by all stakeholders for more than a decade, and its introduction was long overdue,” PACE co-rapporteurs Titus Corlatean and Claude Kern said.
In the light of the clear consensus by all stakeholders on the need to introduce this system before the 2020 parliamentary elections, the failure of the amendments to pass is incomprehensible. This is a step backwards,” they added.
They further call on all political forces and in particularly the ruling majority “to explore ways in which these amendments could still be passed before the coming elections”.
PACE's #Georgia monitors have deplored the failure of the Georgian Parliament to pass constitutional amendments on a proportional election system: "This is a step backwards." https://t.co/xgHhGpQRtW pic.twitter.com/ZAYJKEbyE9
— PACE (@PACE_News) November 14, 2019
The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party proposed bill on holding of 2020 parliamentary elections with a fully proportional voting system and a zero threshold has been scrapped as only 101 MPs voted for it instead of mandatory 113.
Vice Parliament Speaker of Georgia Tamar Chugoshvili and her seven fellow MPs have left the Georgian Dream ruling party after the rejection of the bill, while demonstrators and the opposition have blocked Rustaveli Avenue in protest.