CEC Chair Consultations Planned amid Tight Deadline

A group of civil society representatives will meet with officials from the President’s administration on January 8 to discuss possible candidates for chairmanship of Central Election Commission.

According to amendments to the election code, passed by the Parliament in December, the President will nominate three candidates for the post of CEC chairman after consultations with the civil society organizations. It will be up to the opposition members of CEC to select one from three candidates nominated by the President.

According to the same law the President has to nominate three candidates no later than January 8 and the opposition members of CEC should elect one of them no later than January 11.

The following parties are eligible to take part in voting: Republican Party (part of Alliance for Georgia); Conservative Party; Labor Party; Industrialists; Christian-Democratic Movement (a leading party in the parliamentary minority) and On Our Own (part of parliamentary minority).

If by that time the CEC fails to elect a chairman, the issue will then move to the Parliament and lawmakers, according to the law, will have to elect one from the three candidates within seven days.

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