**Parliament Considers Changes to Election Commission**
The Georgian Parliament will start discussing changes to the rules of forming the Central Election Commission. The main goal is to change how the commission’s chairman and members are chosen.
Currently, the President selects candidates for these positions and presents them to the Parliament. But now, the Speaker of the Parliament will choose the candidates instead. This means that the Speaker will announce a competition for these positions and create a committee to help select the best candidates.
The new rules also change how the commission’s chairman and members are elected by the Parliament. Instead of needing a 2/3 majority, they can be elected with a simple majority (76 votes). They will serve for a period of 5 years.
**Who Prepared the Changes?**
A group of MPs from the Georgian Dream faction prepared the changes to the Election Code and the Parliament’s Rules and Procedures. The authors of the bill are Mamuka Mdinaradze, Givi Mikanadze, Davit Matikashvili, Rati Ionatamishvili, and Irakli Shatakishvili.
According to them, there is no similar rule in any developed country. They claim that this new system will be more democratic and transparent.
**What’s Next?**
The Parliament’s committees will discuss the draft amendments on May 15. If they are approved, the changes will be presented to the next meeting of the Bureau. The President still has some influence over the selection process, as one representative from their office will be part of the competition commission.
If all positions are not filled through voting, the President can nominate another candidate, and that person will be voted on by the Parliament.