The Council of Europe (CoE) welcomes March 8 electoral system reform agreement between the ruling Georgian Dream party and the opposition, which envisages introducing a parliamentary composition based on 120 proportional mandates and 30 majoritarian seats (change from 77/73 system).
In a statement of March 9, the Spokesperson of the CoE Secretary General said the agreement “puts an end to uncertainty that lasted for several months and opens the way to depolarization of the political debate, in the run-up of this year’s elections.”
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“We look forward to the adoption in Parliament of the provisions of this agreement, as well as all other necessary changes to the electoral legislation, in line with international recommendations,” the statement reads, adding that the CoE, including its Venice Commission “will continue to offer its assistance to Georgian authorities towards a successful completion of the process.”
Commending Georgian political parties’ “commitment to strive for the highest standards of functioning of Georgia’s judiciary, and protect judicial and electoral processes from inappropriate political interference,” CoE hopes “this will contribute to upholding the relevant provisions of the European Convention of Human Rights and the Council of Europe standards on electoral matters.”
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