The opposition party For Georgia, led by former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, has come up with an initiative to amend the Constitution of Georgia and elect the President directly by the people again. The party claims that the current system of indirect presidential elections, which was introduced in 2018, has weakened the role of the President and created a constitutional crisis.
The Current System of Indirect Presidential Elections
According to the Constitution of Georgia, which was amended in 2018, the President of Georgia is elected by a 300-member Electoral College for a term of five years. The Electoral College consists of 150 members of the Parliament and 150 representatives of local self-government bodies. The President can be elected by a majority of the Electoral College members in the first round, or by a two-thirds majority in the second round.
The current system of indirect presidential elections was adopted as part of a constitutional reform process that aimed to transform Georgia into a parliamentary republic. The proponents of the reform argued that the direct election of the President was unnecessary and costly, and that the President should have a symbolic and representative role, while the executive power should be concentrated in the hands of the Prime Minister and the Government.
However, the opponents of the reform criticized the system of indirect presidential elections as undemocratic and unfair, and claimed that it would reduce the legitimacy and accountability of the President, and increase the influence of the ruling party over the electoral process. They also pointed out that the system of indirect presidential elections contradicted the principle of popular sovereignty, which is enshrined in the Constitution of Georgia.
The Initiative of For Georgia Party to Restore Direct Presidential Elections
The opposition party For Georgia, which was founded in May 2021 by former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, has announced that it will initiate a constitutional amendment to restore the direct election of the President by the people. The party believes that the direct election of the President is essential for the democratic development and stability of Georgia, and that the current system of indirect presidential elections has created a constitutional crisis and a political deadlock.
The party argues that the current system of indirect presidential elections has weakened the role of the President and reduced the trust and participation of the people in the electoral process. The party also claims that the current system of indirect presidential elections has enabled the ruling party Georgian Dream to manipulate the Electoral College and impose its own candidate for the presidency, regardless of the will of the people.
The party cites the example of the 2018 presidential election, which was the last direct presidential election in Georgia, and which resulted in a narrow victory of Salome Zurabishvili, who was supported by Georgian Dream, over Grigol Vashadze, who was supported by the United National Movement and other opposition parties. The party alleges that the 2018 presidential election was marred by irregularities, violations, and pressure, and that Georgian Dream used its administrative and financial resources to influence the outcome of the election.
The party also refers to the ongoing political crisis and confrontation between the President and the Government, which has escalated since the 2020 parliamentary election, which was disputed by the opposition parties and followed by mass protests and boycotts. The party asserts that the current system of indirect presidential elections has contributed to the political crisis and deadlock, and that the President and the Government have failed to cooperate and communicate effectively on the issues of national interest and security.
The party proposes to amend the Constitution of Georgia and restore the direct election of the President by the people, with a two-round system and a 50%+1 threshold. The party also proposes to reduce the term of the President from five to four years, and to limit the number of consecutive terms to two. The party believes that the direct election of the President by the people will enhance the legitimacy and accountability of the President, and will increase the trust and participation of the people in the electoral process.
The party states that it will collect the signatures of at least 200,000 citizens to initiate the constitutional amendment, and that it will seek the support of other opposition parties and civil society organizations to promote the initiative. The party also calls on the ruling party Georgian Dream to support the initiative and to respect the will of the people.
The Reaction of the Ruling Party and Other Opposition Parties to the Initiative
The ruling party Georgian Dream has dismissed the initiative of For Georgia party as populist and unrealistic, and has accused the party of trying to undermine the constitutional order and the parliamentary system of Georgia. The ruling party has reiterated its support for the current system of indirect presidential elections, and has stated that it will not agree to any constitutional changes that would alter the balance of power between the President and the Government.
The ruling party has also criticized the performance and the conduct of the current President Salome Zurabishvili, who was elected with the support of Georgian Dream in 2018, but who has since distanced herself from the ruling party and aligned herself with the opposition parties on some issues. The ruling party has accused the President of violating the Constitution and the law, and of interfering in the domestic and foreign policy of the Government. The ruling party has also initiated an impeachment procedure against the President, which requires the support of the opposition parties in the Parliament.
The other opposition parties have expressed different views on the initiative of For Georgia party. Some opposition parties, such as the United National Movement, the European Georgia, and the Lelo for Georgia, have welcomed the initiative and have expressed their readiness to cooperate with For Georgia party on the constitutional amendment. They have also criticized the current system of indirect presidential elections as undemocratic and unfair, and have demanded the direct election of the President by the people.
However, some opposition parties, such as the Strategy Aghmashenebeli, the Girchi, and the Alliance of Patriots, have expressed their reservations or objections to the initiative, and have questioned the motives and the timing of For Georgia party. They have also argued that the direct election of the President is not a priority or a solution for the current political and economic problems of Georgia, and that the focus should be on the reform of the electoral system and the judiciary, and on the resolution of the territorial conflicts and the security challenges.
