Burchuladze-Led Election Bloc’s List of MP Candidates

A four-party election bloc, led by opera singer Paata Burchuladze’s State for People, unveiled its list of MP candidates, who will be running for parliament under the proportional, party-list system in the October 8 elections.

Burchuladze’s State for People formed an election bloc with New Political Center (NPC) – Girchi (pine cone) and New Georgia, led by former UNM members MP Zurab Japaridze and MP Giorgi Vashadze, respectively, as well as with New Rights Party in mid-August.

Election bloc’s list of MP candidates is led by Paata Burchuladze, followed by MP Giorgi Vashadze, leader of New Georgia; leader of New Rights Party Mamuka Katsitadze is tenth and leader of NPC-Girchi, MP Zurab Japaridze, is twelfth on the list.

Below are top 30 candidates in the bloc’s list, which includes only two female MP candidates:

  1. Paata Burchuladze – leader of State for People party;
  2. MP Giorgi Vashadze, leader of New Georgia party;
  3. Davit Jandieri – State for People;
  4. Vakhtang Megrelishvili – NPC-Girchi;
  5. Irakli Kipiani – State for People;
  6. Iago Khvichia – NPC-Girchi;
  7. Davit Kiziria – New Georgia;
  8. MP Giorgi Meladze – State for People; he quit UNM in May, 2015 and was with NPC-Girchi before joining State for People;
  9. Melor Tkeshelashvili – he was MP in 1999-2003;
  10. Mamuka Katsitadze – leader of New Rights Party;
  11. Giorgi Papava – State for People
  12. MP Zurab Japaridze – leader of NPC-Girchi;
  13.  Gocha Chelidze – State for People;
  14. Levan Khabeishvili – New Georgia;
  15. Lado Kakhadze – State for People;
  16. Zaur Kvikvinia
  17. Tariel (Tato) Chulukhadze – State for People;
  18. Melkom Nadarian
  19. Irakli Murtskhvaladze – State for People;
  20. Guram Chalagashvili – New Georgia; he was chairman of Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission in 2007-2013 and before that he served as chairman of Central Election Commission for more than a year;
  21. Nino Darsavelidze – NPC-Girchi;
  22. Giorgi Taktakishvili – State for People;
  23. Tornike Chelidze
  24. Vakhtang Tskhadaia – State for People;
  25. Paata Manjgaladze – New Georgia;
  26. Davit Topuria
  27. Zaza Oniani
  28. Giorgi (Giga) Glunchadze – New Georgia;
  29. Sergo Chikhladze – New Georgia;
  30. Irina Turashvili – State for People;

In Georgia’s mixed electoral system 77 seats in 150-member Parliament are allocated proportionally under the party-list contest among the parties and election blocs, which clear 5% threshold in nationwide popular vote.

According to election code, if a party or an election bloc clears 5% threshold, it automatically translates into election of at least first six candidates from its party list of MP candidates in the Parliament.

Rest of the 73 MPs in the Parliament are elected in 73 single-member districts, known as “majoritarian” mandates; a majoritarian MP candidate has to win over 50% of votes in order to be an outright winner in the first round, otherwise a second round should be held no later than 25 days after the first round.

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