Georgian Parliament Speaker: Parliament plans comprehensive overhaul of Election Code by year-end

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Monday announced that lawmakers were planning to adopt a fundamentally revised Election Code by the end of the year, citing the need to streamline a text that has accumulated more than a decade of fragmented amendments.

In his remarks, Papuashvili noted that a complete revision of the Code had been on the agenda for several years, and the newly initiated version addressed existing structural and technical problems.

“The Election Code, adopted in 2011, has undergone more than 100 amendments since then, resulting in a text that has become difficult to interpret, with duplicated norms and large portions contained in transitional provisions that are now substantively obsolete”, he said.

The Speaker stressed that the amendments were primarily technical but would significantly improve the regulatory framework governing the electoral process.

Papuashvili further commented on the growing number of foreign-interference cases in elections worldwide, arguing that establishing a rule under which voting takes place only within Georgia’s borders would strengthen electoral resilience and limit the influence of external actors.

“Under the new Election Code, norms will be systematised and technically refined, procedures will be clarified, duplications eliminated, and the Code’s readability improved. These amendments are essentially technical in nature but will meaningfully enhance the normative environment of the electoral process”, the Speaker said.

“One of the key changes concerns the voting rules for non-resident citizens - those living abroad. Under the initiative, voting in both local self-government elections and parliamentary elections will be possible only within the state borders of Georgia”, he continued.

Papuashvili further added that this decision was fundamentally grounded in Article 24 of the Constitution, “which obliges the state to ensure the free expression of political will - something that, by definition, includes freedom from external interference”.

He highlighted that globally, elections were becoming increasingly vulnerable to external meddling.

“Allegations of foreign interference are now common, whether in the United States or EU member states. The 2024 parliamentary elections clearly demonstrated how overt and intense informational and political pressure from abroad can be on voters”, the Speaker noted.

He added that in this regard, particular risks existed for non-resident citizens who were exposed to foreign jurisdictions and political environments, where the Georgian state could not prevent outside influence.

“In the era of disinformation, their understanding of Georgia’s political agenda, economic challenges, and societal needs often depends entirely on media and social networks, without mechanisms for personal verification. This increases the risk of manipulation, misinformation, and uninformed choices”, Papuashvili said.

“Therefore, establishing the requirement to vote within Georgia strengthens electoral resilience, reduces the influence of external players, and ensures more adequate, informed decision-making”, the Speaker continued.

He stressed that this model fully aligned with international standards and was applied in countries such as Ireland, Malta, Israel and Armenia.

“To underscore: nothing changes in the voting rights of citizens living abroad. Every Georgian citizen will continue to have full voting rights and the opportunity to participate in elections. The only condition is to travel to Georgia once every four years to cast their vote here”, Papuashvili concluded.