Kobakhidze: two percent election threshold to be a ‘gift’ for opposition

Head of the ruling Georgian Dream party Irakli Kobakhidze says that if the party accepts the two percent election threshold for next parliamentary elections, it will be a gift for the opposition. 

 

The ruling party withdrew from the EU-mediated agreement in July which obliged the party to accept the holding of next two parliamentary elections with a two percent threshold. 

 

Kobakhidze reiterated that the GD has no obligation to act in line with the agreement.  However, he noted that the party will observe the behaviour of the opposition and will make a decision. 

 

He said that ‘anyway, the change (if we accept it) will concern elections for 2024 and no snap elections.’ 

 

The Georgian parliament has approved constitutional changes with its first reading only. 

 

After the first reading the GD said that it may not support the amendments as the election threshold must be five percent. 

 

Two readings are still ahead for the final approval of the bill which needs the support of at least 113 MPs in the 150-member state legislature. 

 

The ruling party has 90 MPs in parliament.