Ruling party putting on show or dealing with mutiny? Georgia

Parliament discusses proportional election system

World 15:50 14.11.2019
The issue of how the parliament elections of 2020 will be held was one of the main issues during the large-protests of the summer of 2019.
 
Eurasia Diary reports citing Georgian news outets that the Georgian parliament has again postponed a vote on a bill proposing to transition to a completely proportional system of parliamentary elections. 
 
This bill would do away with the majoritarian system of single-mandate constituencies, which has in the past given the authorities an advantage over the opposition. 
 
•Georgian gov’t agrees to protest demands: 2020 parliament elections by proportional system 
 
•Tbilisi protests – what they mean and what to expect
 
The main demand of large-scale protests in the center of Tbilisi in June this year was the transition to a proportional system for the parliamentary elections. 
 
Then the leader of the ruling Georgian Dream party Bidzina Ivanishvili personally took on the responsibility to fulfill this requirement. However, today the fulfillment of the promise is in question.
 
In parallel with the discussion of the bill in parliament, a protest titled “Do not Dare!” Is being held near its walls. Its participants remind MPs of the promise they made in the summer and warn them not to try to do away with the bill, otherwise large-scale protests will begin in the country again
 
Strange events are taking place in the Georgian parliament: two months ago, the Georgian Dream itself registered a bill with a series of amendments to switch to a proportional election system.  
 
The document was signed by 93 deputies.
 
However, today, when it came to the bill’s adoption and a vote on the matter, some MPs (up to about 30 people) said that the changes they contained ‘threats to the state’ and they would not support them.
 
Meanwhile, a constitutional majority is needed to pass the bill.  On November 13, after a rather emotional parliamentary meeting, majority MPs who supported the amendments to the Constitution asked to postpone the meeting in order to convince their party members to support the bill.
 
Voting is expected to take place tomorrow.  Prior to this, the Georgian Dream plans to hold a congress in its party office and once again consult with party leader Bidzina Ivanishvili.
 
In the political circles of the country, few people believe that several historically passive MPs of the Georgian Dream (including those who are close to Ivanishvili in business)  would dare to rebel against their leader – especially on such a fundamental issue as constitutional amendments.
 
The opposition and some experts call what is happening a performance that, on the instructions of Ivanishvili, is being played out by MPs who “are allegedly rebelling against their team and Ivanishvili himself.”
 
In their opinion, since the the turbulent summer during which street protests came to naught, the situation in the country has gradually stabilised, Ivanishvili decided not to take risks and withdraw his decision on proportional elections, which may not be a beneficial move for his party.
 
According to political observers, there is a serious crisis in the ruling team.
 
“The situation is comic. How can a person submit a certain initiative to parliament, and after two months begin to criticize it.
 
“Most have never contradicted Ivanishvili, therefore the conclusion suggests itself that we are dealing with a mediocre performance.
 
“At the same time, it cannot be ruled out that these people saw they would not end up in the next parliament, and started trying to get around the adoption of constitutional amendments, or trying to sell their votes and support for it for more. But Ivanishvili can do away with them as well, he is a great specialist in this.  And now he is trying to dupe the public, but it will cost him dearly”, said Otar Kakhidze, a member of the opposition European Georgia.
 
Former parliamentary speaker, now oppositionist David Usupashvili, said that Ivanishvili announced the move to a proportional election system in order to defuse the overly tense situation in the summer, and now he is trying to win back the situation.
 
“I never noticed behind those MPs who today oppose the adoption of constitutional amendments, the slightest movements against Ivanishvili,” Usupashvili said.
IEPF issued a statement regarding Azerbaijani children at the UN Human Rights Council

News line

Russia accuses Ukrainian military chief of ordering downing of war prisoner plane
22:10 05.07.2025
Türkiye supports firefighting operations in Syria’s Latakia
22:00 05.07.2025
UNRWA calls for immediate fuel delivery to Israel-blockaded Gaza before shutdown of basic services
21:45 05.07.2025
Pashinyan: Armenia needs new constitution
21:20 05.07.2025
UN chief condemns Russia's recent 'series of large-scale' attacks on Ukraine
21:00 05.07.2025
Kazakh servicemen arrive in Azerbaijan to participate in Tarlan - 2025 exercise
20:45 05.07.2025
Erdogan: US has crucial role in achieving ceasefire in Gaza
20:20 05.07.2025
Building collapse in Pakistan kills 15
19:45 05.07.2025
Turkish FM Fidan to attend 17th BRICS Leaders Summit in Rio de Janeiro
19:30 05.07.2025
Australia pledges $283M for green energy project by explosives maker
19:10 05.07.2025
OPEC+ speeds up oil output hikes, adds 548,000 bpd in August
18:45 05.07.2025
Inter completes signing of Ange-Yoan Bonny from Parma
18:20 05.07.2025
Turkish president sees Zangazur corridor 'as part of the geoeconomic revolution'
18:00 05.07.2025
Turkish president urges Azerbaijan, Russia to show restrain amid tension
17:45 05.07.2025
China says war 'not a solution' to Iranian nuclear issue
17:15 05.07.2025
At least 18 people injured after fire alert on Ryanair plane in Majorca as passengers abandon jet & leap from wing
17:00 05.07.2025
Azerbaijani PM meets with UNESCAP executive secretary
16:45 05.07.2025
Lebanese president affirms coordination with Syria, warns against sectarian tensions
16:15 05.07.2025
21 killed in Israeli strikes on tents, school-turned-shelters in Gaza Strip
16:00 05.07.2025
Turkish construction sector takes on international projects worth $6.2B in first half of 2025
15:45 05.07.2025
Azerbaijani woman wrestler becomes European champion
15:30 05.07.2025
Mayor: Death toll in Russian attacks on Kyiv reached two
15:15 05.07.2025
Texas floods kill 24 people and leave many missing from girls' summer camp
14:45 05.07.2025
Conor McGregor has interest in White House fight after Trump's UFC idea
14:30 05.07.2025
Netanyahu era sees 40% surge in Israeli settlements in occupied West Bank
14:15 05.07.2025
Equatorial Guinea sues France in UN court to block sale of Paris mansion
14:00 05.07.2025
US president 'disappointed' over phone call with Putin
13:45 05.07.2025
Academy of Azerbaijan`s State Security Service hosts graduation ceremony
13:30 05.07.2025
Azerbaijan and Pakistan ink memo in Khankendi
13:15 05.07.2025
Trump says there could be Gaza deal next week
13:00 05.07.2025
First flight from Türkiye to Syria launched
12:45 05.07.2025
US marks its 249th anniversary of independence
12:30 05.07.2025
Azerbaijan's role in regional integration discussed at London conference
12:00 05.07.2025
Uzbek Minister: Mirziyoyev's visit to Azerbaijan crucial for dev’t of transport links
11:45 05.07.2025
Trump says US will start talks with China on TikTok deal this week
11:30 05.07.2025
Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif concludes visit to Azerbaijan
11:15 05.07.2025
Pakistani premier proposes low-emissions corridor at Economic Cooperation Organization summit
11:00 05.07.2025
Rwanda pledges to deliver on its part of US-brokered peace deal with DR Congo
10:45 05.07.2025
Hezbollah rejects calls to disarm before end of Israeli ‘aggression’ against Lebanon
10:30 05.07.2025
Trump says Gaza ceasefire deal may come next week after ‘positive’ Hamas response
10:15 05.07.2025
Hamısı