The unfolding political drama in Georgia reaches new heights of lawlessness as the illegitimate parliament prepares to elect the country’s president on December 14. Not only does this act arise from a body lacking legitimacy, but the election itself flagrantly violates constitutional deadlines and established legal procedures.
The move, orchestrated by “puppet master1” echoes previous attempts to subvert democratic processes, such as the parliamentary session convened before the Constitutional Court’sruling.
The Georgian Constitution (Article 50) clearly stipulates that “the President of Georgia is elected for a term of five years, without debate, by open voting by the electoral college.”
Furthermore, the organic law—defined as the Election Code of Georgia—establishes the procedural framework for presidential elections in Chapter XI, titled “Elections of the
President of Georgia.” Specifically, the Election Code mandates that the presidential election must occur within 45 days after the first session of the newly elected parliament. As the parliament’s inaugural session took place on November 25, the constitutionally valid deadline for the election would be January 9, 2025. Scheduling the election for December 14 not only shortens this timeline without justification but also disrupts key procedures enshrined in the Election Code.
The Legal Violations
1. Election Deadlines Ignored
According to Article 97 of the Election Code, presidential candidates must be nominated at least 30 days before the election and only after the composition of the electoral college is approved. This means that for a December 14 election, the deadline for nominating candidates would have been November 15. However, by November 15, the Central Election Commission (CEC) had not even published the summary minutes of the parliamentary elections (released on November 16).
2. Exceptional Cases Clause Misused
The Election Code (Article 14.1.c) allows the CEC to modify deadlines only in “exceptional cases” where it is impossible to meet the requirements of the law. Such decisions require detailed documentation justifying the circumstances that made adherence to the deadlines unfeasible. In this instance, no such explanation was provided.
3. Irregular Candidate Nomination Process
The CEC approved the electoral college’s composition on December 2, yet a presidential candidate was nominated on November 27—five days before the electoral college’s official formation. This premature nomination contravenes the Election Code. Additionally, the CEC has failed to publish the required documentation, including the formal notice of candidate nomination signed by at least 30 members of the electoral college.
The “puppet master” Strikes Again
This blatant disregard for constitutional and legal norms highlights a disturbing pattern of authoritarian manipulation. The same “puppet master” that orchestrated prior unconstitutional parliamentary sessions has now branded the presidential election process with similar illegitimacy.
Georgia’s democratic institutions and constitutional order are being systematically undermined. This latest transgression demonstrates that the illegitimate parliament is not only willing to consolidate power by any means necessary but is also unashamedly disregarding the rule of law.
