Georgia starts parliamentary polls

09:46 01.10.2012
Georgia

Georgia has started parliamentary polls with 14 parties and 2 political blocs taking part. A third of voters is needed for successful elections. Two polling stations were organized for soldiers serving as part of the ISAF in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan.

President Saakashvili’s opponent billionaire Ivanishvili managed to consolidate opposition.

The National Democratic Institute (NDI) of the US says that the ruling party has a rating exceeding the rating of Georgian Dream 5-fold. 47% of people questioned vote for the United National Movement and only 10% for Georgian Dream.

Maestro TV says that 48% want to vote for Georgian Dream and only 14% for the ruling party.

After inauguration of the president in 2013, the power will be transferred to the parliament and government, according to constitutional amendments.

77 out of 150 MPs will be elected via the proportional system. A party needs 5% of votes to enter the parliament. 73 MPs will be elected according to single-mandate districts. 2805 candidates are running for parliament. Only one independent candidate is registered in Zugdidi, although he quit the campaign on Friday.

Georgia has 3613851 voters.

3684 polling stations in 84 electoral districts were organized. They will open only in 73 districts, because 11 districts cannot operate in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

50 local NGOs and 61 international organizations, including NDI, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, NATO Parliamentary Assembly, OSCE ODIHR, observers from Poland, Switzerland, Romania, Australia, USA and some CIS countries will monitor the polls.

33,000 local and over 600 international observers will monitor the polls. Each organization will send a maximum of 2 observers per polling station.

Adapted from vestnikkavkaza.net

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