Georgia's ruling party submits 170-member electoral list ahead of elections

The ruling Georgian Dream party on Thursday officially submitted its electoral list to the country’s Central Election Commission ahead of the October 26 general elections. 

Mamuka Mdinaradze, the Executive Secretary of the party, submitted the list, highlighting “new faces” in the list after No.93 and saying it reflected the party’s “effort to bring new people into the political arena”.

Speaking to journalists after the registration, Mdinaradze explained the decision to expand the list from 150 members in 2020 to 170 this year, saying “several members typically leave the Parliament from the beginning”.

The official also claimed the party had a “realistic expectation” of securing a constitutional majority of at least 113 seats in the 150-member Parliament in the forthcoming vote.

We have an objective expectation of obtaining the percentage corresponding to the constitutional majority. We do not rule out that the result could exceed 100 mandates by a few tens”, Mdinaradze said, adding the outcome was feasible if only the United National Movement opposition party crossed the electoral threshold while other opposition parties fell short

Mdinaradze also framed the election as a “decisive moment for Georgian sovereignty”, saying "we expect the Georgian people will make an objective decision that will be in favour of the honour of the country. This decision will confirm that decisions about Georgia are made within the country by a government elected by the people, and not by external forces”.