Georgian President plans Constitutional Court lawsuit over alleged election violations

President Salome Zourabichvili announced her intention to file a lawsuit with the Constitutional Court on November 19, citing violations of the principles of voting secrecy and universality during the recent elections.

During a press briefing on November 18, Zourabichvili presented her assessment of the electoral process, expressing grave concerns about systemic fraud and breaches of key democratic rights. She accused the election of failing to uphold Georgian constitutional standards and international principles.

“The secrecy of voting and the universality of suffrage were undermined, particularly disregarding the voting rights of emigrants.

Additionally, systemic election fraud marred both the pre-election and election day periods,” Zourabichvili said. She also criticized the lack of independent and fair judicial review of election-related disputes.

Zourabichvili emphasized that these elections have not been recognized by her as president, opposition parties, non-governmental organizations, or international observers, highlighting the absence of acknowledgment from Georgia’s democratic partners.

In response to the crisis, Zourabichvili proposed a multi-step plan:

• New elections – She called for fresh elections, contingent upon an international investigation into the electoral process and systemic issues, reforms to the electoral code, and the establishment of a special court for election disputes.

• Interim continuity – She suggested maintaining the political status quo as of October 26, given the failure of the elections, to avoid further instability.

• International support – The president stressed the importance of global backing for her proposals and emphasized her ongoing engagement with international partners.

Zourabichvili also urged civil society and political parties to remain resolute in their protests and to actively participate in resolving the crisis.