With the new bill, the President is deprived of the prerogative to present to the Parliament the candidates for the chairmanship and so-called professional membership of the Central Election Commission [CEC].

The authors of the bill are Mamuka Mdinaradze, Givi Mikanadze, David Matikashvili, Rati Ionatamishvili and Irakli Shatakishvili.

The Speaker of the Parliament will select the candidates instead of the President. The procedure and quorum related to their election is also being changed - if the Parliament supports the chairman and members of the CEC with a majority (76 votes), they will occupy the position for a period of 5 years.

The relevant amendments to the Election Code and the Parliament’s Rules and Procedures were prepared by the deputies of the Georgian Dream faction and will be presented at the next meeting of the Bureau.

According to the draft law, the Chairman of the Parliament will announce the competition for the selection of the chairman and members of the CEC and create a competition commission. The Speaker of shall submit to the Parliament the nominations of the chairman and members of the CEC.

The Chairperson and members of the CEC will be elected by the Parliament with the majority of the full composition.

The legislative initiative of the majority provides for the presence of one representative of the President in the competition commission. According to the draft, if all the vacancies are not filled as a result of the voting, the President shall nominate another candidate participating in the relevant competition and the candidate nominated by the President shall be voted on.