Politics of Georgia

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Georgia (country)
This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Georgia

President: Mikheil Saakashvili Prime Minister: Zurab Noghaideli Parliament Political parties in Georgia Elections in Georgia Parliamentary: 2003 - 2004 Presidential: 2004 Rose Revolution UNOMIG Regions and Republics Human Rights Foreign relations See also: Politics of Abkhazia
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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 seceded unilateraly from Georgia.

1 Recent developments
2 Euro-Atlantic Integration
3 Political conditions
4 Executive branch
5 Legislative branch
6 Political parties and elections
7 Judicial branch
8 Administrative divisions
9 International organization participation
10 See also
11 External links

[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 National Movement - Democrats (NMD) (former 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 Departement 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 300,000 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, the majority of whom are ethnic Georgians from the Gali district, to return home. The Abkhaz refused to this solution, as in the case of IDP's return, Georgians would be the majority of population in the region, as it was during more than a century before they were driven from their homes.

Currently, Russian peacekeepers [1], under the authority of the Commonwealth of Independent States, are stationed in Abkhazia, along with UN observers, but both groups have recently had to restrict their activities due to increased mining and guerrilla activity. Negotiations have not resulted in movement toward a settlement. France, United Kingdom, Germany, Russia and the United States, through 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 government 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.

Main office holders
Office	Name	Party	Since
President	Mikhail Saakashvili	NM-D	January 25, 2004
Prime Minister	Zurab Nogaideli	NM-D	February 3, 2005

See also the List of Georgian rulers

[edit] Legislative branch

The Parliament of Georgia (Sak'art'velos Parlamenti), also know as the Umaghiesi Sabcho (Supreme Council) has 235 members, elected for a four year term, 150 seats by proportional representation and 75 in single-seat constituencies and 10 members represent displaced persons from the separatist region of Abkhazia. This situation will change however when the next elections are held (likely to be 2008). Following constitutional amendments passed in 2003, the parliament will consist only of 150 seats, mostly made up from the P.R system, and be fully refurbished. The Speaker of Parliament is Nino Burjanadze.

[edit] Political parties and elections

The following election results include names of political parties. See for additional information about parties the List of political parties in Georgia. An overview on elections and election results is included in Elections in Georgia (country).

[discuss] – [edit]
**Summary of the 4 January 2004 election results**
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

Main article: Georgia presidential election, 2004

[discuss] – [edit]
**Summary of the 28 March 2004 Georgian Parliament election results**
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) New Rightists (Akhali Memarjveneebi, ახალი მემარჯვენეები) Industry will save Georgia (Mretsveloba Gadaarchens Sak'art'velos, მრეწველობა გადაარჩენს საქართველოს))	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) National Democratic Party (Erovnul Demokratiuli Partia) Union of Georgian Traditionalists (ქართველ ტრადიციონალისტთა კავშირი)		2.5	-
Jumber Patiashvili - Unity Unity (Ertoba) Intellectuals League of Georgia		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.

Main article: Georgian presidential election, 2004

[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, Sokhumi, 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)