Statement of CSOs on the Position of the Ruling Party about Electoral System Reform
On June 5, 2015, the ruling coalition Georgian Dream publicly announced its decision to leave the existing mixed electoral system for the 2016 parliamentary elections but with certain modifications. In particular, for a majoritarian candidate to be declared a winner, he or she must take at least 50% of votes. Further, to protect the principle of equality of votes and ensure implementation of the ruling of the Constitutional Court, boundaries of majoritarian districts will be redrawn. As to further reform of the electoral system, the ruling coalition has announced that because of the limited time remaining before the upcoming elections, majoritarian component of the electoral system will be abolished for the parliamentary elections in 2020 and post-2016 elections will be held using proportionate electoral system.
We also believe that the argument of the ruling coalition about the lack of time to reform the electoral system is utterly unconvincing. Next parliamentary elections are 1.5 years away, which gives sufficient time for holding the 2016 parliamentary elections using proportionate system only, if there is political will.
We believe that to improve the electoral system and create free and fair electoral environment, the authorities should take into account the common
vision of civil society organizations specializing in elections and political spectrum, and hold the 2016 parliamentary elections using proportionate electoral system. Never has there been such a broad consensus about electoral system between political and civil society organizations in the history of contemporary Georgia, and it is unacceptable that the authorities are disregarding this consensus.
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08.06.2015