Ruling party wants to deprive President of right to select candidates for chairman of CEC of Georgia

CEC of Georgia

According to a new initiative of the Georgian Dream party, the president will no longer be able to select candidates for chairman of the Central Election Commission (CEC). Instead, the chairman of the Georgian parliament is given the prerogative to select candidates and present them to parliament. The Young Lawyers’ Association argues that by changing the rules, the government reduces the independence of the CEC.

In addition, the procedure for electing members of the CEC is changing — according to a draft law proposed by the ruling party, seven members of the CEC will be elected by the Parliament of Georgia by a majority of the full membership on the proposal of the Speaker of Parliament, and no more than nine members of the CEC are appointed by the parties in the manner prescribed by this law.

“If a new chairman of the CEC is not elected before the expiration of the term of office of the current chairman, the term of office of the latter continues until the election of a new chairman of the CEC,” the bill reads.

Also, according to the bill, the chairman of the parliament will announce a competition for the selection of the chairman and members of the CEC and a competition commission will be created, including a representative of the president of the country.

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The Georgian Young Lawyers Association claims that Georgian Dream continues to adapt legislation to party interests and reduces the independence of the CEC.

“The Constitution of Georgia provides for the participation of the president in the appointment of the chairman and members of the Central Election Commission. And the legal act of the President on the appointment of these persons to office does not require the signature of the Prime Minister. When registering an initiative in parliament, the significant role of the president in this process is ignored,” the association says.

The Young Lawyers’ Association calls on Parliament to:

• not approve the proposed bill, which serves only the narrow party interests of the Georgian Dream;
• take into account the recommendations of strategic partners and take effective and realistic steps to ensure the independence of the election administration.