Final Vote Passed on Reducing the Number of MP Seats
With a 181 to 2 vote today, the Georgian Parliament endorsed a constitutional amendment, in its third and final hearing, regarding the reduction of the total number of MP seats from 235 to 150.
According to this amendment, 100 MPs will be elected through a proportional, party-list system, while 50 MPs will be elected in first-past-the-post constituencies. The amendment will apply to the next Parliament, to be elected in 2008.
However, this constitutional amendment will be enforced along with the relevant changes to the election code. There are currently 75 single-mandate constituencies, thus to reduce the number of first-past-the-post seats to 50 either the districts should be redrawn, or the MPs would be elected by more than one current district.
