Georgian opposition agrees on candidates for majoritarian MPs in Tbilisi

The united opposition, which is composed of 31 political parties, has come to an agreement on majoritarian MP candidates in single-seat Tbilisi constituencies.

Tbilisi has eight, single-seat majoritarian electoral districts in total, and only one MP is chosen from each of them.

The United Opposition chose:

Elena Khoshtaria for the Vake district (member of the European Georgia Party),

Shalva Shavgulidze for the Mtasminda district (Free Democrats Party),

Giorgi Vashadze for Isani (Free Georgia Party),

Shalva Natelashvili for Nadzaladevi (Labor Party),

Nika Melia for Gldani (United National Movement), and

Levan Khabeishvili for Samgori (United National Movement).

The opposition still has not chosen a candidate for two Tbilisi districts, Didube and Saburtalo.

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David Bakradze, chairman of the European Georgia Party, says that discussions about candidates for these two districts are still ongoing, and the united opposition wants other political parties and prominent people to join the fight for parliamentary mandates in Tbilisi.

This likely refers to fourth president of Georgia, Giorgi Margvelashvili: the united opposition states that if Margvelashvili expresses a desire to participate in the elections, the opposition will support his candidacy.

The agreement reached between the authorities and the opposition on March 8, 2020 states that October parliamentary elections will be held according to the 120/30 model: 120 deputies will be elected from party lists (the proportional system), and 30 will be elected on an individual basis from majoritarian districts.

Changes to the electoral system must be approved by the Georgian parliament.

Eigh out of 30 majoritarian districts in this model are located in Tbilisi.