CoE Congress Statement on Proposed Amendments to Georgia’s Electoral Code
On December 13, the Spokesperson of Local and Regional Elections of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Stewart Dickson has expressed serious concern about proposed amendments to Georgia’s Electoral Code that are currently being considered through an expedited parliamentary procedure.
The proposed amendments, which are intended to be implemented in the 2025 local elections, would reduce the proportion of councilors in municipal councils elected through a proportional system while increasing the number of majoritarian members, the statement says, thus partially returning to the situation of 2017.
In the press release, Dickson emphasized the importance of electoral stability, a principle that suggests that significant electoral system changes within one year of an election should only be made in exceptional circumstances. Such scenarios should include broad political consensus, addressing electoral standard non-compliance, or implementing national court decisions and international recommendations.
The statement stresses the current political environment in Georgia – characterized by extreme polarization and political tension – makes achieving inclusive public consultations challenging. He pointed out that the Electoral Code has been amended more than 15 times since the Congress’s last election observation mission in 2021, including the controversial abolition of gender quotas on electoral lists in April.
“Frequent rule changes, especially regarding seat allocation, can confuse voters and potentially undermine trust in the democratic process,” the statement reads.
It calls on Georgian authorities to “avoid hasty adoption of the draft amendments”, engage in open dialogue with all political forces, consult with local authorities and NGOs and ensure that the stability and integrity in electoral processes at all levels are fully respected.
The Congress also confirms the CoE’s commitment to supporting efforts to improve electoral processes and stands ready to observe the 2025 local elections, “pending an official invitation from Georgian authorities.”
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