2024 Parliamentary Elections: Assessment of the Pre-election Environment
On October 26, 2024, parliamentary elections will be held in Georgia. The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) will conduct comprehensive monitoring of the elections, covering the pre-election period, election day, and the post-election period.
ISFED launched its monitoring mission across the country in 73 districts of Georgia on June 1, 2024. The central and regional offices of the organization continuously monitor political and electoral processes nationwide. The report below reviews and assesses the political environment in the country, the legal framework conditioned by the recent legislative changes, including the introduction of electronic technologies, the media environment, political parties' activities, and the enabling environment for election observer organizations.
The 2024 Parliamentary Elections are pivotal for Georgia's democratic development and European integration. These upcoming elections represent significant milestones in Georgia's history:
- They will be conducted under the status of an EU membership candidate country. Free, fair, and competitive elections are crucial in meeting one of the nine recommendations from the European Commission for Georgia to advance on the path to European integration.
- The elections will be held using a fully proportional system, ensuring that Georgian society's political preferences are accurately reflected in the legislature and promoting political pluralism.
- The elections will be held using electronic technologies. Modern voting technologies can enhance the voting process if appropriately adopted with political will. However, readiness for such a significant change is also essential.
Despite popular opposition, adopting the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence has markedly worsened the pre-election period in Georgia. This legislation contradicts Georgia's European and democratic aspirations and poses an existential threat to media and civil society organizations. Against this backdrop, the pre-election phase is fraught with substantial challenges for observer organizations. Neutral and impartial monitoring of the elections is particularly crucial in this context.
ISFED will undertake a comprehensive monitoring effort spanning five months to oversee the entire election process and communicate its findings to the public. Should any violations be identified, ISFED will submit complaints to electoral dispute bodies to address these issues effectively. In its commitment to enhancing the electoral environment, ISFED will develop and propose recommendations for improvements to be made. ISFED plans to deploy up to 1400 observers across Georgia on election day to ensure thorough coverage. ISFED's monitoring methodology adheres strictly to the Declaration of Global Principles for Nonpartisan Election Observation and Monitoring by Citizen Organizations[1], as well as the Code of Conduct to which ISFED is a signatory.
[1] Global Network of Domestic Election Monitors. Declaration of Global Principles for Nonpartisan Election Observation and Monitoring by Citizen Organizations. Accessed June 23, 2024. https://gndem.org/declaration-of-global-principles#code-of-conduct-for-non-partisan-citizen-election-observers-and-monitors
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