Abkhazian parliamentary election, 1996
Encyclopedia
Parliamentary elections were held in the underrecognized
Republic of Abkhazia on 24 November 1996. 30 of the 35 seats were filled in the election with the other five being filled in run-off elections
two weeks later. At the same time refugees in Georgia
held a referendum to declare that elections in Abkhazia were invalid.
's Supreme Soviet
which had split during the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict in 1993 with 28 deputies continuing in Abkhazia as the Abkhaz Supreme Soviet. The remaining 24 formed a parliament in exile in Georgia.
In order to be elected a candidate had to obtain over 50% of the vote. Voters received a list of candidates and crossed off all the names but that of the candidate they preferred.
The electoral commission
of Abkhazia reported that there was an 81% turnout
among the electorate. 19 Abkhaz
, 4 Russians
, 3 Armenians
, 2 Georgians
, 1 Greek
and 1 Kabardin were elected.
In advance of the election international organisations and major countries declared that the election was invalid.
among refugees from Abkhazia. The Georgian government of Eduard Shevardnadze
said that over 99% of refugees agreed that elections in Abkhazia were invalid until refugees were allowed to return and its political status as part of Georgia was agreed.
Diplomatic recognition
Diplomatic recognition in international law is a unilateral political act with domestic and international legal consequences, whereby a state acknowledges an act or status of another state or government in control of a state...
Republic of Abkhazia on 24 November 1996. 30 of the 35 seats were filled in the election with the other five being filled in run-off elections
Two-round system
The two-round system is a voting system used to elect a single winner where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate...
two weeks later. At the same time refugees in Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
held a referendum to declare that elections in Abkhazia were invalid.
Election
The election was held in order to replace the former Abkhaz Autonomous RepublicAbkhaz Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic
The Abkhaz Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic or Abkhaz ASSR was an autonomous republic of the Soviet Union within the Georgian SSR. It came into existence in February 1931, when the Socialist Soviet Republic of Abkhazia , originally created in March 1921, was transformed to the status of...
's Supreme Soviet
Supreme Soviet
The Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union was the Supreme Soviet in the Soviet Union and the only one with the power to pass constitutional amendments...
which had split during the Georgian-Abkhazian conflict in 1993 with 28 deputies continuing in Abkhazia as the Abkhaz Supreme Soviet. The remaining 24 formed a parliament in exile in Georgia.
In order to be elected a candidate had to obtain over 50% of the vote. Voters received a list of candidates and crossed off all the names but that of the candidate they preferred.
The electoral commission
Election management body
An election management body or EMB is the authority in a nation charged with administering the electoral process. EMBs can be independent, mixed, judicial or governmental. The EMB may also be responsible for electoral boundary delimitation...
of Abkhazia reported that there was an 81% turnout
Voter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
among the electorate. 19 Abkhaz
Abkhaz people
The Abkhaz or Abkhazians are a Caucasian ethnic group, mainly living in Abkhazia, a disputed region on the Black Sea coast. A large Abkhazian diaspora population resides in Turkey, the origins of which lie in the emigration from the Caucasus in the late 19th century known as Muhajirism...
, 4 Russians
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
, 3 Armenians
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
, 2 Georgians
Georgians
The Georgians are an ethnic group that have originated in Georgia, where they constitute a majority of the population. Large Georgian communities are also present throughout Russia, European Union, United States, and South America....
, 1 Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
and 1 Kabardin were elected.
In advance of the election international organisations and major countries declared that the election was invalid.
Referendum
In response to the election Georgia organised a referendumReferendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
among refugees from Abkhazia. The Georgian government of Eduard Shevardnadze
Eduard Shevardnadze
Eduard Shevardnadze is a former Soviet, and later, Georgian statesman from the height to the end of the Cold War. He served as President of Georgia from 1995 to 2003, and as First Secretary of the Georgian Communist Party , from 1972 to 1985. Shevardnadze was responsible for many top decisions on...
said that over 99% of refugees agreed that elections in Abkhazia were invalid until refugees were allowed to return and its political status as part of Georgia was agreed.