Parliament Speaker: We Will Strengthen and Take Responsibility for the Future

"A parliamentary majority meeting will be held on November 16," Parliament Speaker Archil Talakvadze said at a news conference at the Georgian Dream HQ today.

“I am very sorry that many of our teammates made the decision to leave the majority after yesterday's vote. I respect their decision. Tomorrow, at 11:00, we will hold a majority meeting, we will definitely regain strength and take responsibility for the future,” he said. 

He noted that lawmakers who had remained in the team after yesterday's vote will be present at the meeting. Individual meetings will be held with those who left the Georgian Dream. Talakvadze  said he hopes that "they will support all major reforms."

In total, 9 MPs left the ruling party after parliament’s rejection of the proportional election bill. 

On November 14, the Parliament of Georgia rejected the bill on constitutional amendments relating to switching to a proportional electoral system.

141 MPs were registered for the plenary session. 101 MPs, including opposition lawmakers, supported the bill on the transition to the proportional electoral system. Three MPs voted against the bill, though the required quorum was 113 votes, thus the MPs failed to approve the bill in the first reading.

The bill, drafted by 93 lawmakers, envisages holding the parliamentary elections in 2020 through a proportional system with a zero barrier and the admission of electoral alliances.

By Ana Dumbadze