Georgian Dream rejected government's proposal to decrease the election threshold to 2%
In the next parliamentary elections, the ruling Georgian Dream party has decided not to modify the country's constitution and decrease the electoral threshold to 2%. Constitutional reforms on electoral reform will not be discussed at this time, according to the ruling party's head, Irakli Kobakhidze.
Parliamentary elections in 2024 must be held under a completely proportional system with a 5% threshold, according to the present constitution.
The so-called "Charles Michel's Document" — an agreement signed by the ruling party and a member of the opposition and mediated by the European Union – includes constitutional revisions. According to the document, the next legislative elections should be held with a 2% threshold. The modifications were approved in the first reading by the parliament.
However, ruling Georgian Dream later declared its disagreement with the Charles Michel accord, and Shalva Papuashvili, a member of the ruling party, testified in favour of increasing the threshold to 3% in the second reading.
The acceptance of the amendments, according to Kobakhidze, "will be contingent on the behaviour and activities of various structures." Shalva Papuashvili also stated that the authorities are no longer obligated to modify the constitution after abandoning the Charles Michel accord.
"The barrier, which will be in place beginning in 2024, meets perfectly with democratic ideals." Starting in 2024, a completely proportional system with a 5% threshold will be implemented.
"We haven't examined whether the 2 percent barrier is better than the 5 percent threshold - it may be worse," Irakli Kobakhidze stated.
According to Nika Melia, the United National Movement remained in parliament only to pass amendments to the constitution, and if this does not happen, the party will leave parliament.