**Georgian Dream’s Electoral Reforms Spark Concerns**
The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) has criticized the Georgian Dream party for adopting amendments to the Electoral Code that favor their interests. The changes, made in an expedited manner, increase the share of majoritarian seats in municipal elections and raise electoral thresholds.
**Major Changes**
The amendments affect the City Council (Sakrebulo) election system in several ways:
* In Tbilisi, 25 out of 50 seats will be distributed through the majoritarian system, up from 10. The number of proportional deputies will decrease from 40 to 25.
* In other self-governing cities, the Sakrebulo members will decrease from 35 to 25, while the number of majoritarian seats will increase and proportional seats will decrease.
* In self-governing municipalities, Sakrebulos will consist of 15 proportional members and 1 majoritarian member elected from each settlement.
**Increased Electoral Thresholds**
The proposed amendments also raise electoral thresholds for electoral subjects in the proportional component. The threshold will be increased to 4% in Tbilisi and other municipalities, up from 2.5% and 3%, respectively.
**Concerns Raised by ISFED**
ISFED argues that these changes primarily serve Georgian Dream’s partisan interests, undermining electoral fairness and ignoring recommendations from international and local organizations. The watchdog notes that the amendments contradict the recommendations of the Venice Commission and the OSCE/ODIHR, which stress the importance of stable electoral legislation based on broad consensus.
**Conclusion**
ISFED concludes that these changes aim to create an environment for Georgian Dream’s desired outcome in municipal elections. The organization calls for a complete and comprehensive electoral reform with a broad consensus among parties and the public to ensure fair and free elections.
Read More @ civil.ge