Politics of Georgia
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The Politics of Georgia is structured as a presidential representative democratic republic (semi-presidential system), with a multi-party system, and the President as head of government. Executive power is exercised by the government. Federal legislative power is vested in both the government and parliament. Since the Rose Revolution, the party system is dominated by the National Movement - Democrats. Georgia (საქართველო (Sakartvelo) in Georgian) has been a democratic republic since the first multiparty, democratic parliamentary elections of October 28, 1990. The Georgian state is highly centralized, except for the autonomous regions of Abkhazia, Ajaria and South Ossetia, which are to be given autonomous status once Georgia's territorial integrity is restored. Those regions had an autonomous status within Georgian SSR during Soviet rule. Abkhazia and South Ossetia seceded unilaterally from Georgia.
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[edit] Recent developments
Following a crisis involving allegations of ballot fraud in the 2003 parliamentary elections, Eduard Shevardnadze resigned as president on November 23, 2003 in the bloodless Rose Revolution. The interim president was the speaker of the outgoing parliament (whose replacement was annulled), Nino Burjanadze. On January 4, 2004 Mikheil Saakashvili, leader of the United National Movement won the country's presidential election and was inaugurated on January 25.
Fresh parliamentary elections were held on March 28 where NMD secured the vast majority of the seats (with ca. 75% of the votes) with only one other party reaching the 7% threshold (the Rightist Opposition with ca. 7.5%). The vote is believed to have been one of the freest ever held in independent Georgia although an upsurge of tension between the central government and the Ajarian leader Aslan Abashidze affected the elections in this region.
The tension between the Georgian government and that of Ajaria grew increasingly after the elections until late April. Climaxing on May 1 when Abashidze responded to military maneuvers held by Georgia near the region with having the three bridges connecting Ajaria and the rest of Georgia over the Choloki River blown up. On May 5, Abashidze was forced to flee Georgia as mass demonstrations in Batumi called for his resignation and Russia increased their pressure by deploying Security Council secretary Igor Ivanov.
On February 3, 2005, Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania allegedly died of carbon monoxide poisoning in an apparent gas leak at the home of Raul Usupov, deputy governor of Kvemo Kartli region. Later, Zhvania's close friend and a long-time ally, Finance Minister Zurab Nogaideli was appointed for the vacant post by President Saakashvili.
In January 2006 a new party, Georgia's Way, was created. The movement is led by former Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili, and appears to be relatively popular. An opinion poll conducted by the Georgian weekly Kviris Palitra and published on April 10, 2006 suggested that Salome Zourabichvili would garner 23.1% of votes if a presidential election were held today. President Saakashvili ranked first with 33% - an all-time low for the Georgian President - whilst no other individual managed to surpass double-digit levels of support. Georgia's Way has said it intends to have candidates for all the seats in Georgia's upcoming local elections, with Zourabichvili hoping to become Tbilisi Mayor.
[edit] Euro-Atlantic Integration
After the Rose Revolution Georgia started looking westwards. The government — with strong public support — aims at EU- and NATO-membership, and has created an own Department of Euro-integration. In NATO-context Georgia is currently an IPAP-country (and will probably become a MAP-country in November 2006), while membership in the EU is a more distant project. These moves are supported by the most popular of the opposition parties - Georgia's Way and the Rightist Opposition.
[edit] Political conditions
The Abkhaz separatist dispute absorbs much of the government's attention. While a cease-fire is in effect about 250,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) who were driven from their homes during the conflict, constitute a vocal lobby. The government has offered the region considerable autonomy in order to encourage a settlement that would allow the IDPs (mainly ethnic Georgians from the Gali district[citation needed]) to return home, however the Abkhaz side refused to accept it.
Currently, Russian peacekeepers[1] are stationed in Abkhazia under the authority of the Commonwealth of Independent States, along with UN observers but both groups have recently had to restrict their activities due to increased mining and guerrilla[citation needed]. So far (by 2007) the negotiations have not resulted in any settlement. France, United Kingdom, Germany, Russia and the United States (who act as the members of the United Nations and the OSCE) continue to encourage a comprehensive settlement consistent with Georgian independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. The UN observer force and other organizations are quietly encouraging grassroots cooperative and confidence-building measures in the region.
The parliament has instituted wideranging political reforms supportive of higher human rights standards, because between 1992 and 2003 (before the Rose Revolution of November 23, 2003) the Georgian human rights situation had been complicated. Despite the reforms by the new government, there are still numerous problems concerning respect for human rights in the country. Prisoners are frequently maltreated, journalists are intimidated by the authorities and much of the mainstream media is owned by government supporters. The police are often accused of planting evidence, beatings and the unnecessary killing of suspects.
[edit] Executive branch
The head of the Cabinet of Georgia is the President, who is elected for a term of five years. His constitutional successor is the Chairman of the Parliament. The president appoints a Prime Minister.
| Office | Name | Party | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| President | Mikheil Saakashvili | NM-D | 20 January 2008 |
| Prime Minister | Lado Gurgenidze | None | 22 November 2007 |
See also the List of Georgian rulers
[edit] Legislative branch
The Parliament of Georgia (Sak'art'velos Parlamenti), also know as the Umaghlesi Sabcho (Supreme Council) has 235 members, elected for a four year term - 150 seats by proportional representation, 75 in single-seat constituencies and 10 given to the representatives of the displaced persons from the separatist region of Abkhazia. However this situation will change when the next elections are held (likely to be 2008). According to the constitutional amendments passed in 2003 the parliament will consist of only 150 members elected with the proportional representation system and will be fully refurbished. The Speaker of Parliament is Nino Burjanadze.
[edit] Political parties and elections
| Candidates and nominating parties | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| Mikheil Saakashvili - National Movement - Democrats (Natshhionakhuri Modraoba – Demokrathebi) | 1,692,728 | 96.0 |
| Teimuraz Shashiashvili | 33,868 | 1.9 |
| Roin Liparteliani | 4,248 | 0.2 |
| Zaza Sikharulidze | 4,098 | 0.2 |
| Kartlos Garibashvili | 3,582 | 0.2 |
| Zurab Kelekhsashvili | 1,631 | 0.1 |
| Against all | 22,817 | 1.3 |
| Total 82.8 % turnout, 1,762,972 registered voters | 1,762,972 | 100.0 |
| Parties and alliances | Votes | % | Seats |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Movement – Democrats (Nats'ionaluri Modzraoba – Demokratebi, ერთიანი ნაციონალური მოძრაობა) | 1,027,070 | 67.0 | 135 |
Rightist Opposition (Memarjvene Opozits'ia, მემარჯვენე ოპოზიცია)
|
116,282 | 7.6 | 15 |
| Democratic Union for Revival (Demokratiuli Aghordzinebis kavshiri, დემოკრატიული აღორძინების პავშირი) | 6.0 | - | |
| Georgian Labour Party (Sakartvelos Leiboristuli Partia, საქართველოს ლეიბორისტული პარტია) | 5.8 | - | |
| Freedom Movement (Tavisupleba, თავისუფლება) | 4.2 | - | |
National Democratic Alliance (Erovnul Demokratiuli Aliansi)
|
2.5 | - | |
Jumber Patiashvili – Unity
|
2.4 | - | |
| Members elected in single-seat constituencies (November 2003) | 75 | ||
| members representing displaced persons from the separatist region of Abkhazia | 10 | ||
| Total | 1,518,751 | 235 | |
| Source: German Wikipedia and Civil.ge. | |||
[edit] Judicial branch
Georgia has a Supreme Court, with judges elected by the Parliament on the president's recommendation, and a Constitutional Court.
[edit] Administrative divisions
Georgia is divided into 53 districts (raions), 11 cities*, and 2 autonomous republics** (avtonomiuri respublika).
- Autonomous republics: Abkhazia, Ajaria.
- Cities: Batumi, Chiatura, Gori, Kutaisi, Poti, Rustavi, Sukhumi, Tbilisi, Tkibuli, Tskhinvali, Tskaltubo.
- Districts: Abasha, Adigeni, Akhalgori, Akhalkalaki, Akhaltsikhe, Akhmeta, Ambrolauri, Aspindza, Baghdati, Bolnisi, Borjomi, Chkhorotsku, Chokhatauri, Dedoplistskaro, Dmanisi, Dusheti, Gardabani, Gurjaani, Java, Kareli, Kaspi, Kharagauli, Khashuri, Khobi, Khoni, Lagodekhi, Lanchkhuti, Lentekhi, Marneuli, Martvili, Mestia, Mtskheta, Ninotsminda, Oni, Ozurgeti, Kazbegi, Kvareli, Sachkhere, Sagarejo, Samtredia, Senaki, Sighnaghi, Telavi, Terjola, Tetritskaro, Tianeti, Tsageri, Tsalenjikha, Tsalka, Vani, Zestaponi, Zugdidi*
- note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)
[edit] International organization participation
BSEC, Council of Europe, CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, FAO, GUAM, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, International Chamber of Commerce, International Criminal Court (ICC), ITUC, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, International Maritime Organization, Inmarsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO (correspondent), ITU, OAS (observer), OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
