The mentioned document includes the joint vision, which can be briefly summarized as the change of the majoritarian electoral system with the proportional electoral system.

 

The signatory NGOs and political forces are addressing the legislative branch with the following offer:

“Changing the existing electoral system represents an immediate necessity for ensuring democratic, competitive and equal electoral environment in Georgia. The existing electoral system does not ensure the proportional transformation of voters’ will into the mandates, the number of “lost votes” is very large and the principle of the equality of each vote is not safeguarded.

 

A number of recommendations by the international organizations note the necessity of resolving the mentioned problem. Therefore, it is necessary to immediately start the constitutional amendments with the initiative of the parliament members. We offer the new project of the clause 1 of the Article 49: 

“Prior to the rising of the conditions, stipulated in the Article 4 of the Constitution of Georgia, the parliament consists of the 75 parliament members elected under the uniform proportional system and 75 parliament members – under the regional proportional system, for the 4-year term, based on the secrecy of vote, as well as the right to the universal, equal and direct elections”.

 

We would like to once again underline that the package of constitutional amendments must be immediately initiated to ensure timely changes of the constitution prior to the 2016 parliamentary elections.

 

We are hopeful that the consensus, represented in the mentioned address, achieved by the groups that represent public political groups of different visions, will be reflected in the legislative amendments, necessary for the democratic development of Georgia, with your support”.