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Georgia's Parliamentary Electoral System
The term ‘electoral system’ is used to describe the structure by which votes cast in an election result in legislative seats (or executive offices) won by political parties and candidates. The most common methods used in elections for legislatures are plurality/majority, proportional representation or mixed systems.
March 01, 2011
Publication
Report/Paper
Political Party Funding in Georgia
The role of money in politics has a profound effect upon the legitimacy of elections and the quality of democracy, governance and development. All countries, including advanced democracies, struggle with political finance issues.
March 01, 2011
Publication
Report/Paper
Biometrics in Elections
This report will cover lessons learned from registration projects around the globe. Every country is unique and there is no single best solution that applies everywhere.
February 01, 2011
News & Updates
Feature
Kyrgyzstan's Democratic Experiment
On June 27, 2010 Kyrgyzstan adopted a new constitution via nationwide referendum. Introducing a new or revised governing charter was nothing new for the Central Asian republic—they have seen many since their independence in 1991. This new constitution, however, ushered in a new era for the country as it established a parliamentary system that would allow power to be decentralized and shared among different political parties.
News & Updates
Feature
Kyrgyzstan Votes to Adopt a New Constitution
On Sunday, 27 June 2010 Kyrgyzstan held a referendum to consider adopting a new constitution. The referendum, administered by a new (interim) Central Election Commission (CEC), was held just 80 days after the violent overthrow of President Kurmanbek Bakiyev and just weeks after a violent ethnic clash between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks in the south of the country. With a near 70% turnout, voters overwhelmingly approved changes to the constitution affecting the electoral system, the separation of powers, the judicial system, human rights, and local self-government. With the changes Kyrgyzstan is set to become Central Asia’s first parliamentary republic, though the serious work of implementation lay ahead.
News & Updates
Feature
Election Day in Tbilisi, Georgia
Throughout the month of May, Georgia prepared for elections to choose representatives to local councils (sakrebulos) as well as the mayor of the capital city of Tbilisi. This represents the first time that voters would directly elect a mayor. IFES contributed to pre-election preparations through a number of initiatives, including sponsoring live television debates featuring the Tbilisi mayoral candidates; supporting local organizations to get out the vote, produce debates, and observe the election; facilitating a Memorandum of Understanding on the Abuse of Administrative Resources; producing voter education posters, leaflets, and T-shirts; and other activities. Election Day, May 30, 2010, was peaceful and orderly. The OSCE noted deficiencies in the electoral framework and the uneven playing field, but called these elections "evident progress" towards Georgia meeting its international commitments.
Publication
Report/Paper
Understanding the Proposed Kyrgyz Parliament
On April 26, 2010, the Interim Government of Kyrgyzstan, which took control of the country following early April protests that drove former president Kurmanbek Bakiyev from office, unveiled a new draft constitution that will be finalized and officially presented on May 20. A referendum will take place in June 27 in which the population will be able to vote “yes” or “no” in favor of adopting this new charter.
May 15, 2010
Publication
Report/Paper
Use of Administrative Resources for Election Campaign in Georgia - 2nd Report
The second interim report on monitoring the use of administrative resources for election
campaign covers the period of time between 15 March and 5 May 2010 and focuses on the four
main types of administrative resources: coercive, financial, material‐technical and human. The
analysis shows that there have, so far, been fewer violations during the campaign for the 30
May local elections than was the case during the 2008 early presidential and parliamentary
ballots. However, the general picture is still far from positive.
May 11, 2010
News & Updates
Feature
Televised Candidate Debate in Tbilisi, Georgia
In anticipation of local elections at the end of the month, IFES organized and sponsored live, televised candidate debates for the post of mayor of Tbilisi, Georgia, together with Georgian Public Broadcasting. These debates represent a first in Georgian democracy – live debates featuring candidates running for office have never been produced before.
Publication
Report/Paper
Use of Administrative Resources for Election Campaign in Georgia - 1st Report
There has been an unprecedented increase in the funding allocated to local government entities in
Georgia’s state budget ahead of the 2010 local elections. The total transfers to local government bodies
in the state budget exceed the previous year’s figure by 34%. At the same time, there has been a
considerable increase in the number of employees in the Tbilisi Mayor’s Office and in the regional
administrative bodies. The resulting growth of salary funds is at odds with President Saakashvili’s
policy of reducing bureaucracy costs. Those who oppose this approach have suggested that state money
is being used to employ the people who are to participate in the ruling party’s election campaign.
March 29, 2010