46 Apply to Run for Presidential Polls

The deadline for parties and initiative groups to apply to Georgia’s Central Election Commission (CEC) for candidate registration has expired on September 8 with a total of 46 nominees wishing to run in the October 28 Presidential polls.

According to the CEC, 20 out of 46 applicants were nominated by political parties, while the remaining 26 are independent candidates, named by the so called initiative groups.

Among the best known candidates are: Davit Bakradze of the European Georgia party; Davit Usupashvili of the Development Movement; Grigol Vashadze of the UNM-led coalition; Kakha Kukava of the Free Georgia; Shalva Natelashvili of the Labor Party; and Zurab Japaridze of the New Political Center – Girchi.

Independent presidential candidate Salome Zurabishvili is among the nominees as well. She is to reportedly enjoy the support of the ruling Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party.

Other lesser-known candidates include: Giorgi Andriadze, former parliamentary secretary of the Georgian Orthodox Church; Giorgi Liluashvili of the Sakartvelo party; film director Giorgi Shengelaia; and Mikheil Saluashvili of the Voice of the Nation: the Lord is Our Truth.

Six of the applicants have already been registered as candidates by the CEC. The election administration will complete the registration process on September 28.

On October 28, Georgian citizens will elect their fifth president for a six-year term. This will be the last time that the head of state will be elected through direct ballot.

According to the new constitution, which will enter into force following the presidential elections, the new President will be elected by the 300-member Electoral College for a term of five years.

The election campaign officially kicked off on August 29, imposing a set of legal obligations on participants, among them restrictions on use of administrative resources.

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