Georgia legislative election, 2004
Encyclopedia
Legislative elections were held in the Georgia
on March 28, 2004. The elections followed the annulment of the November 2003 legislative elections
, which were widely believed to have been rigged by the former President, Eduard Shevardnadze
. New elections were ordered following the resignation of Shevardnadze and the election of President Mikhail Saakashvili in January 2004.
The elections were won by the National Movement - Democrats
(NMD), the party supporting President Mikhail Saakashvili. The NMD won 67% of the vote, while no other party won more than 7.6%.
As a result, the NMD won most of the 130 seats elected by proportional representation
in the Georgian Parliament. Of the 20 parties contesting the elections, only the NMD and the Right Opposition
bloc polled more than 7% of the vote, the threshold necessary to gain representation.
The new Georgian Parliament will also include 85 members elected from single-member constituencies, who were elected in the November 2003 elections and have not been required to face re-election. The exact party loyalty of these members is not known, but Georgian websites suggest that about 23 of them are NMD members or supporters, about 15 are opposition supporters, and the rest are independents.
The National Movement - Democrats party unites President Saakashvili's National Movement, Prime-Minister Zurab Zhvania
's United Democrats, the Republican Party, supporters of Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze
and some of the supporters of the late President Zviad Gamsakhurdia
, the Union of National Forces.
The Right Opposition
is a center-right pro-business alliance led by David Gamkrelidze
.
At a press conference, Saakashvili said: "I think the people have given their verdict. I am not pleased that there is not more opposition representation, because that would have helped my party too to consolidate. But that is the reality, the post-revolutionary reality."
A preliminary report by observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
(OSCE) praised the conduct of the elections.
"The 28 March 2004 repeat parliamentary election in Georgia demonstrated commendable progress in relation to previous elections. The Georgian authorities have seized the opportunity, since the 4 January presidential election, to further bring Georgia's election process in closer alignment with European standards for democratic elections, including OSCE commitments and Council of Europe
standards," the report said.
"However, in the wake of the events of November 2003, the political life of Georgia, as reflected in the election process, is not yet fully normalized. The consolidation of the democratic election process will only be fully tested in a more competitive environment, once a genuine level of political pluralism is re-established."
In an attempt to produce an election result acceptable to both domestic and international opinion, the Georgian government allowed the votes to counted simultaneously by the CEC and by a non-government organisation, the International Society for Fair Elections and Society (ISFED). This was called the parallel vote tabulation (PVT). Figures released by ISFED on March 31 showed results almost identical to those released by the CEC.
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...
on March 28, 2004. The elections followed the annulment of the November 2003 legislative elections
Georgia legislative election, 2003
Parliamentary elections were held in the Republic of Georgia on November 2, 2003. According to statistics released by the Georgian Election Commission, the elections were won by a combination of parties supporting President Eduard Shevardnadze....
, which were widely believed to have been rigged by the former President, 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...
. New elections were ordered following the resignation of Shevardnadze and the election of President Mikhail Saakashvili in January 2004.
The elections were won by the National Movement - Democrats
National Movement - Democrats
United National Movement is the main center-right party, largest political organization and current governing party in Georgia.- History :UNM was founded in October 2001 by Mikheil Saakashvili...
(NMD), the party supporting President Mikhail Saakashvili. The NMD won 67% of the vote, while no other party won more than 7.6%.
As a result, the NMD won most of the 130 seats elected by proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
in the Georgian Parliament. Of the 20 parties contesting the elections, only the NMD and the Right Opposition
Rightist Opposition
The Right Opposition is an alliance of Georgia's New Rights and Industry will save Georgia parties. It is the only opposition group that successfully won over seven percent of the votes on March 28, 2004, which was the necessary threshold to secure seats in Parliament...
bloc polled more than 7% of the vote, the threshold necessary to gain representation.
Results
These voting figures come from German Wikipedia and Civil.ge.The new Georgian Parliament will also include 85 members elected from single-member constituencies, who were elected in the November 2003 elections and have not been required to face re-election. The exact party loyalty of these members is not known, but Georgian websites suggest that about 23 of them are NMD members or supporters, about 15 are opposition supporters, and the rest are independents.
The National Movement - Democrats party unites President Saakashvili's National Movement, Prime-Minister Zurab Zhvania
Zurab Zhvania
Zurab Zhvania was a prominent Georgian politician, having served as Prime Minister of Georgia and Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia as well as Minister without Portfolio. Zhvania assumed premiership on 18 February 2004 and remained on the position until his death on 3 February 2005...
's United Democrats, the Republican Party, supporters of Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze
Nino Burjanadze
Nino Burjanadze is a Georgian politician and lawyer who served as Chairperson of the Parliament of Georgia from November 2001 to June 2008...
and some of the supporters of the late President Zviad Gamsakhurdia
Zviad Gamsakhurdia
Zviad Gamsakhurdia was a dissident, scientist and writer, who became the first democratically elected President of the Republic of Georgia in the post-Soviet era...
, the Union of National Forces.
The Right Opposition
Rightist Opposition
The Right Opposition is an alliance of Georgia's New Rights and Industry will save Georgia parties. It is the only opposition group that successfully won over seven percent of the votes on March 28, 2004, which was the necessary threshold to secure seats in Parliament...
is a center-right pro-business alliance led by David Gamkrelidze
David Gamkrelidze
David Gamkrelidze or Davit Gamqrelidze , is a Georgian politician, Leader of the New Rights Party of Georgia, Member of Parliament since 1999, Member of Committee for Defense and Security, Chairman of the Centre-Right Opposition Group in the Parliament of Georgia...
.
At a press conference, Saakashvili said: "I think the people have given their verdict. I am not pleased that there is not more opposition representation, because that would have helped my party too to consolidate. But that is the reality, the post-revolutionary reality."
A preliminary report by observers from the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe is the world's largest security-oriented intergovernmental organization. Its mandate includes issues such as arms control, human rights, freedom of the press and fair elections...
(OSCE) praised the conduct of the elections.
"The 28 March 2004 repeat parliamentary election in Georgia demonstrated commendable progress in relation to previous elections. The Georgian authorities have seized the opportunity, since the 4 January presidential election, to further bring Georgia's election process in closer alignment with European standards for democratic elections, including OSCE commitments and Council of Europe
Council of Europe
The Council of Europe is an international organisation promoting co-operation between all countries of Europe in the areas of legal standards, human rights, democratic development, the rule of law and cultural co-operation...
standards," the report said.
"However, in the wake of the events of November 2003, the political life of Georgia, as reflected in the election process, is not yet fully normalized. The consolidation of the democratic election process will only be fully tested in a more competitive environment, once a genuine level of political pluralism is re-established."
In an attempt to produce an election result acceptable to both domestic and international opinion, the Georgian government allowed the votes to counted simultaneously by the CEC and by a non-government organisation, the International Society for Fair Elections and Society (ISFED). This was called the parallel vote tabulation (PVT). Figures released by ISFED on March 31 showed results almost identical to those released by the CEC.