Ruling party expecting “constitutional majority” in 2024 race amid opposition’s demands on lower threshold

The ruling Georgian Dream party officials on Monday said they had “no plans” to accept the opposition’s demands on lowering the five percent election threshold for the 2024 Parliamentary elections, claiming the ruling power was expected to win the race with “overwhelming majority” – at least 100 seats in the 150-member Parliament. 

 

The opposition lawmakers claim the latest recommendation by the European Commission to the Council to grant Tbilisi the bloc’s membership candidate status in December with nine conditions included the section on lowering the threshold. 

 

They noted the stipulation on ensuring “fair and competitive elections” and “adequate representation of voters” in the state legislature meant lowering the election threshold, which they said would allow the presence of several opposition parties in the Parliament. 

 

Kakha Kaladze, the Secretary General of the GD, rejected the claims, saying the elections would be “fair and competitive” under the five percent threshold, and that his party would gain the “constitutional majority” considering the “public trust”. 

 

He further added the President’s and the opposition’s expectations on the coalition Government in the next year was “absolutely unreal”.