**Georgian President Challenges Election Results**
The President of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, has filed a complaint with the Constitutional Court challenging the official results of the October 26 parliamentary elections. She claims that two constitutional principles were violated during the election: ballot secrecy and universal suffrage.
**What is the President’s Complaint About?**
The President argues that ink leaking from the back of the ballot revealed which party a citizen voted for, violating ballot secrecy. She also claims that the voting rights of Georgians living abroad were neglected, preventing them from exercising their right to vote. As a result, she seeks a court ruling that the results of Georgia’s 2024 parliamentary elections are unconstitutional.
**A Delay in Parliament Formation?**
The President’s complaint, along with one filed by 30 opposition members of the outgoing Parliament, may delay the formation of a new Parliament. According to the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament, the Temporary Mandate Commission must examine the documents and submit the unified list of MPs to the Parliament before it can recognize their powers.
**A Roadblock for GD?**
The Georgian Dream party (GD) had planned to hold the first session of the new Parliament on November 25. However, with the Constitutional Court’s involvement, this date may be pushed back. The opposition sees this as a potential roadblock for the GD government.
**Next Steps?**
The Constitutional Court has no chance of deliberating the cases in the short time frame left before the planned first session of Parliament. Even so, experts believe that the Court will rule on the President’s appeal, which may delay the formation of a new Parliament by almost a month.
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