Five opposition parties, blocs request annulment of party lists
Five opposition parties have signed a memorandum earlier today agreeing that they will not enter parliament. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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Five opposition parties and election blocs that were voted into parliament have submitted a request to Georgia’s Central Election Commission asking for their party lists to be annulled, meaning candidates on the lists would not be able to replace opposition MPs who will officially refuse to take up their mandates in parliament.
The parties and election blocs which have requested the annulment of their party lists are the United National Movement-United opposition election bloc ( UNM, State for the People and Progress and Freedom. The remaining one member of the bloc-Republicans have not requested the annulment so far), European Georgia, Lelo, Strategy Agmashenebeli and Labour party.
The five parties signed a memorandum earlier today in which they said that they are demanding repeat elections and refuse to take up their mandates.
The five parties and election blocs received 50 seats in parliament per the results of the October 31 elections.
The members of the parties say that they will request the parliament to suspend their MP status on December 17.
The opposition parties received 60 seats in parliament. However, they state that the elections were fabricated and are now demanding repeat elections. Photo: RFE/RL.
The opposition parties which have not requested the annulment of their party lists so far are as follows:
- Republicans (which is a part of the UNM election bloc)
- Aleko Elisashvili’s Citizens – 2 seats in parliament
- Girchi – 4 seats
- Alliance of Patriots – 4 seats
The 10th convocation of the parliament of Georgia has held its first session today.
No opposition MPs attended the session.
The new parliament has recognised the legitimacy of all 150 members of parliament earlier today.
Opposition parties took to the street following the October 31 parliamentary elections.
They say that the elections were fabricated and are demanding repeat elections.
Foreign ambassadors have already mediated four meetings between the ruling party and the opposition to help the parties end the political crisis.
The EU and US ambassadors have expressed hope earlier today that the parties will manage to reach an agreement during the following meetings.
The 10th convocation of the parliament of Georgia is holding its first session today following the October 31 parliamentary elections and the second round of elections on November 21. No opposition MPs from the eight parties and election blocs that were voted into parliament are attending the session. Five of eight opposition parties and blocs have signed a memorandum earlier today in which they do not recognise the election results, and demand the conduct of repeat elections and refuse to take up their mandates.
The ruling Georgian Dream party has promised that they will accept repeat elections if a temporary investigative commission created by the 10th convocation of the parliament of Georgia reveals that at least 1% of votes were rigged or falsified. Kobakhidze commented on other issues related to the parliament, noting that parties that do not take up their mandates in parliament will not receive budgetary funding and other benefits.
The Central Election Commission convened a session earlier today to summarise the final results of Georgia’s parliamentary elections. Having summed up the election results at today’s session, the CEC will now send the document to the parliament of Georgia, which will hold the first session of the tenth convocation within ten days.
Nine of 14 political parties who received at least one per cent of votes in the October 31 parliamentary elections have sent a letter of consent to the country’s Central Election Commission to receive annual state funding.
Archil Talakvadze has been elected chair of the Georgian parliament with 86 votes earlier today, during the first session of the 10th parliament of Georgia.
The Georgian Central Election Commission (CEC) has annulled the party lists of five opposition parties earlier today per their request, meaning candidates on the lists would not be able to replace opposition MPs who have officially refused to take up their mandates in parliament.
The ruling Georgian Dream party and opposition members have responded to the decision of the head of the opposition United National Movement Grigol Vashadze to leave the party earlier today.
The Georgian Central Election Commission (CEC) says that the data of the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) NGO which shows an imbalance between ballots cast and signatures of registered votes in eight per cent of election districts, is incorrect.