2024 Georgian presidential election

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2024 Georgian presidential election

← 2018 2024

President before election Salome Zourabichvili Independent Elected President TBD

Presidential elections are scheduled to be held in Georgia in 2024 within 45 days after the inaugural session of the newly elected parliament.^[1] Following amendments to the constitution in 2017, this will be the first indirect vote where the president is elected through a 300-member College of Electors rather than a direct vote.^[2]

Despite being endorsed by the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party during the 2018 presidential election and subsequently winning it, incumbent president Zourabichvili has distanced herself from the governing party in the following years, which led to the President's inter-institutional conflict with the Second Garibashvili government and the Parliament. In at least two occasions, the Government banned the President from traveling abroad, preventing her from visiting Ukraine, Poland, Germany, and France.^[3] In March 2023, the Government announced it would file two lawsuits with the Constitutional Court against the President over her decision to go on an unauthorized visit to Brussels and Paris and over her refusal to sign outright decrees appointing ambassador candidates nominated by the Government,^[4] before dismissing the lawsuits several months later. Zourabichvili has increasingly used her veto power against the Parliament, as such, she has vetoed the bill changing the composition of Georgia's National Bank, the bill extending scope and time limits for covert investigations and other bills,^[5] most notably the 'foreign agents' bill.^[6]

GD tried impeaching President Zourabichvili with no success on 18 October 2023, when the Parliament held a vote but failed to collect 100 votes needed to impeach her.^[7]

On 26 September 2017, the Parliament of Georgia adopted the constitutional amendments, which went into effect in December 2018, after the inauguration of Salome Zourabichvili as President.^[8][9] As a result of the constitutional reform, the direct election of the president by popular vote was abolished and replaced by a system of indirect election through an 300-member College of Electors, including MPs, local and regional government representatives. The new electoral system is in place for this election and onwards. The president is elected without prior debate on the Parliament floor through open ballot.^[2]

The president will serve for a term of five years and can serve maximum two terms. The eligibility age for the president increased from 35 to 40. The residence requirements changed as well: a presidential candidate has to have lived in Georgia for at least 15 years. However, a candidate is no longer required to have lived in Georgia for the last three years before the election.^[2]

The powers of the president have been limited as a result of the 2017 constitutional reform. The president no longer has power to conduct international negotiations with foreign countries. The president will have reduced powers in wartime, as a decision on the use of the defence forces is to be made solely by the prime minister and it will be necessary for the president to obtain the prime minister’s consent to declare martial law or a state of emergency; moreover, the National Defence Council – a consultative body to the president – is to lose its permanent status and will only be convened in times of martial law.^[10] Although the President remains the head of state, the commander-in-chief, and representative in foreign relations, the role no longer ensures “the functioning of state bodies within the scope of the powers granted by the Constitution, as well as losing the right “to request particular matters to be discussed at the Government session and participate in the discussion.”^[2]

Under a new law passed in February 2024, the Speaker of Parliament, instead of the president, nominates and opens the competition for the election of the Chairman of Central Election Commission and its professional members. Parliament requires a 3/5 majority (90 votes) in the first round to elect candidates. If unsuccessful, a simple majority (76 votes) can be used in the next round, with two attempts allowed. If both attempts fail, the president gains the authority to appoint the CEC chairperson/member. The law also stipulates that CEC members serve a full five-year term, even if elected with a lower quorum.^[11]