As political crisis in Georgia continues to rage, Georgian Dream Chair Irakli Kobakhidze has signaled the ruling party may shun the last bit of the April 19 EU-mediated Agreement that both Georgia’s western partners and opposition parties that signed the deal could instill some sense of normality.
Kobakhidze has specifically said constitutional amendments already passed in the first hearing envisaging reduction of the election threshold from 5 to 2 percent as well as making any possible snap election before 2024 fully proportional may not be supported by the ruling party.
While Georgia’ constitution envisages transition to the fully proportional election system from 2024, a possible snap election before would still take place in a mixed system where 120 MPs are elected through proportional lists and 30 from single mandate majoritarian districts.
Kobakhidze also said should the amendments be passed, that would entirely constitute Georgian Dream’s ‘good will’ and that would be conditional on “good behaviour” of the opposition.
Those opposition parties that signed the April 19 EU-brokered deal also known as the Charles Michel Agreement have supported the amendments in the first hearing.
In fact, even though they continue to regard the October 2020 parliamentary elections as fraudulent and the current parliament not expressing the will of Georgian voters, those parties emphasized their presence in parliament was needed precisely for ensuring the amendments’ passage.
Even though Georgian Dream has quit the April 19 EU-brokered deal and appointed Supreme Court justices despite fierce opposition from both EU and US Embassies, it was hoped that the passing of the amendments would contribute to reduction of polarization and pluralism.
“Tanking the constitutional amendments that leaves relatively smaller parties outside the political process is the most obvious encouragement of polarization,” Khatia Dekanoidze chairperson of UNM’s faction in parliament said.
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