The first session of Georgia’s newly elected Parliament, held on Monday, faced controversy amid a constitutional lawsuit filed by President Salome Zourabichvili, challenging the election results.
Merab Turava, Chairperson of the Constitutional Court, was absent from the session, citing his involvement in ongoing cases at the court.
According to the court’s press center, Turava was unable to attend the inaugural session as he was in Batumi, working on two lawsuits related to the October 26 elections, one of which was filed by the president.
The lawsuit seeks to annul the election results, citing violations of voter secrecy and the principles of universal and free elections.
Despite the legal challenge, the session proceeded with the recognition of all 150 newly elected parliamentarians.
The Georgian Dream party, however, rejected the lawsuit as “stupid” and affirmed the legality of the parliamentary session.
Meanwhile, opposition parties continue to demand the annulment of the election results through their own constitutional challenges.
The Constitutional Court has 30 days to review the president’s lawsuit, which questions the legality of the election process.
According to Georgia’s parliamentary rules, MPs whose election results are under dispute cannot officially assume their mandates until the case is resolved.
International partners have called for an independent investigation into the alleged electoral violations, while the absence of diplomats from the session adds further tension to the already disputed parliamentary opening.
