Parliament Passes Constitutional Reforms as Opposition Storms Out

The Georgian Parliament passed a set of constitutional amendments on the 26th of September with 117 votes to 2, despite objections from civil society groups, the opposition, and the president. The vote was boycotted by the United National Movement and European Georgia parties, with members of both labelling it a “farce”. 

The changes intend to considerably limit the powers of the president from 2023, as well as intro-duce a fully proportional system for election MPs from 2024. Opponents of the amendments claim that new constitution does not offer guarantees towards a balance of power between the branches of government. They have accused the government of imposing a “one-party constitution.” 

Mamuka Mdinaradze, leader of the incumbent Georgian Dream parliamentary faction, meanwhile applauded the changes. He claimed that “For several years, my friends and I will be proud with to-day’s decision, because starting today, Georgia will have a European constitution, oriented towards national interests”

By Máté Foldi