Opposition may nominate joint candidates if electoral system remains unchanged in upcoming elections

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.

The opposition says that this will be their ‘plan B’ if no deal is reached with the ruling Georgian Dream party on which electoral model to use for the 2020 race. 

Leader of the European Georgia opposition party Sergi Kapanadze says that several joint candidates are ‘nearly selected’ for Tbilisi. 

Negotiations are in progress and the candidates will be selected through the consensus between the opposition parties to defeat the Georgian Dream in the elections,” Kapanadze said. 

Independent MP Eka Beselia says that as of now ‘two things’ are agreed upon between opposition parties. 

The ruling Georgian Dream party MP Mamuka Mdinaradze has urged opposition parties to continue a dialogue on 2020 election issue. 

The first thing is for opposition leaders to be nominated for majoritarian candidates as it will boost their chances to win, and the second - to have joint candidates where it is possible,” Beselia said. 

Opposition parties still say they will refuse to enter into a dialogue with the ruling party on how to hold the 2020 parliamentary elections which they suspended after the detention of opposition leader Gigi Ugulava earlier this month.

The Ruling party states that the door for carrying out changes regarding the 2020 elections is closing at the end of February and urged the opposition to return to the table of negotiations. 

Georgia is scheduled to move to a fully proportional electoral system from 2024. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge. 

Why is there controversy over the 2020 elections? 

• The issue of 2020 elections was raised after parliament rejected the ruling party proposed election bill in November 2019, which allowed an early transition to a fully proportional electoral system starting from 2020, instead of scheduled 2024. 
• In June 2020, during protests in Tbilisi, the ruling party promised early transition to a fully proportional system and proposed a bill. 
• However, in November 2019 many of the ruling party majoritarian MPs refused to vote for the bill and it was rejected. 
• The opposition, which says that the majoritarian elections are unfair and benefiting ruling parties, has accused the GD of ‘deliberately rejecting the bill’ and took to the streets. 
• The ruling party officials said they were also ‘disappointed’ with the rejection and failed to persuade majoritarian MPs to vote for the bill. 
• The opposition and the ruling party have held four meetings, mediated by diplomatic corps, to reach a deal on the 2020 elections. 
• The ruling party offers a 100/50 electoral system for 2020 - 100 proportional and 50 majoritarian seats in parliament - which is unacceptable for the opposition.  
• After detention of Ugulava for embezzlement of 48 million GEL state funds, the opposition suspended the negotiations on election issues.