2024 Georgian constitutional crisis
The 2024 Georgian constitutional crisis[1][2] started with a dispute about the legitimacy of the October 2024 Georgian parliamentary election, due to concerns about its conduct.[3] It continued with the self-convening of Parliament,[4] the election of a new president by Parliament,[5] and the 29 December 2024 inauguration of Mikheil Kavelashvili by the self-convened session of parliament.[6]
2024 October parliamentary election
[edit]Salome Zourabichvili and the four main opposition groups considered the 2024 Georgian parliamentary election to be legally invalid[7] because of irregularities in the conduct of the election.[3] Mass street protests took place daily following the election, together with police repression. On 18 December, the Public Defender of Georgia stated that his representatives had visited 327 detainees, among which 225 stated that they had been ill-treated, and 157 had visible signs of physical injuries. Representatives from Transparency International Georgia, Georgian European Orbit and Rule of Law Center stated that Georgian Dream had "planned the systemic torture of peaceful demonstrators", with a "system of torture [planned] in advance". They stated that detainees had been "beaten in the face, head, eye sockets, ribs, [and] kidneys" and that the detainees had been robbed of personal belongings by the security forces.[8]
Opposition media described the resignations of government officials in early December as a "collapse of the system". According to Gocha Beridze, former head of Batumi Coast Guard Marine Safety Department, 49 employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia resigned: Irakli Shaishmelashvili, the head of a department in the Ministry with responsibility for dispersing protests, and four of his deputies; 16 special forces instructors; the head of the psychological training service and twelve of its members; and all 16 water cannon operators.[9] In late December 2024, after leaving Georgia for his and his family's saftey, Shaishmelashvili gave an extensive interview. He stated that police violence was systematic and done under orders given by Zviad Kharazishvili, the head of the Special Tasks Department of the Ministry and by Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, who according to Shaishmelashvili are close colleagues of one another. Shaishmelashvili stated that no investigations into police violence were being conducted and that none were planned.[10]
In late December 2024, Zourabichvili announced plans to create a council with broad participation to organise a re-run of the election,[11][12] as recommended by the European Parliament.[13]
Self-convening of Parliament
[edit]Following the October election, Zourabichvili refused to convene a session of the Parliament of Georgia with the members elected per the official results of the election. Parliament self-convened. Zourabichvili considered the self-convening of Parliament to have been unconstitutional.[4]
Presidential election
[edit]Parliament elected a new president of Georgia on 14 December 2024. Zourabichvili considered the election to be invalid. She stated that she would retain her status as president because of the invalidity of the election.[5] Protests continued after the presidential election, including a human chain on 28 December.[14]
On 29 December 2024, Mikheil Kavelashvili was inaugurated as president. Zourabichvili left Orbeliani Palace, which in 2018 she had chosen as her presidential residence instead of Avlabari Presidential Residence,[15] stating that she remained the legitimate President, as the palace is only a symbol.[16][6] Zourabichvili described the inauguration as a "mockery of democracy" and stated that Georgian Dream was "locked up, scared, corrupt, illegitimate, unrecognized, subject to sanctions".[17]
International Reactions
[edit]On 28 November 2024, the European Parliament, by a majority of 444 in favour, 72 against, and 82 abstentions, declared that it did not recognise the October parliamentary election.[13]
According to the Weimar Triangle (France, Germany, Poland) foreign ministers, the electoral irregularities and the violence against protestors, journalists and opposition politicians constituted democratic backsliding. The ministers stated that they would implement a European Union (EU) decision to end visa-free travel for Georgian officials.[18]
Analysis
[edit]In December 2024, constitutional law expert Vakhtang Khmaladze declared Zourabichvili to be the legitimate president.[16]
GD is widely seen as supportive of Russia, which invaded Georgia in the 2008 Russo-Georgian war.[14] The party denies being pro-Russia[19] and states that it is pro-European Union (EU). At a meeting of Georgian ambassadors on 29 December, Kavelashvili, Shalva Papuashvili and GD-appointed prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze stated that Georgia was continuing to progress towards membership of the EU.[20] Earlier, on 28 November, Kobakhidze announced that the government would not pursue the opening of EU accession negotiations until late 2028.[21]
References
[edit]- ^ "Key Stages In Crisis Threatening Georgia's EU Bid". Barron's. 20 December 2024. ISSN 1077-8039. Wikidata Q131582774. Archived from the original on 29 December 2024.
- ^ Thomas de Waal (31 October 2024), Georgia's Dangerous Moment Is a Challenge for the EU, Wikidata Q131582878, archived from the original on 29 December 2024
- ^ a b Georgia – Parliamentary elections – 26 October 2024 – ODIHR Election Observation Mission Final Report (PDF), Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, 20 December 2024, Wikidata Q131531638, archived (PDF) from the original on 21 December 2024
- ^ a b "President: Parliament Meeting Unconstitutional". Civil Georgia. 25 November 2024. Wikidata Q131573888. Archived from the original on 20 December 2024.
- ^ a b "'I Remain President,' Says Zurabishvili Urging Firmer Western Stance". Civil Georgia. 27 December 2024. Wikidata Q131573576. Archived from the original on 27 December 2024.
- ^ a b "Zourabichvili to leave Orbeliani Palace". OC Media. 29 December 2024. Wikidata Q131582642. Archived from the original on 29 December 2024.
- ^ Pjotr Sauer (27 October 2024). "Georgia's pro-EU opposition calls for protest over 'rigged' election result". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Wikidata Q131554944. Archived from the original on 28 October 2024.
- ^ "NGOs on pro-European rallies: Along with the beatings, the special forces robbed the detainees". Georgia Today. 18 December 2024. Wikidata Q131477264. Archived from the original on 19 December 2024.
- ^ "'System Collapse': Mass Resignations Of Enforcers In Georgia As Protest". Charter 97. 5 December 2024. Wikidata Q131609351. Archived from the original on 1 January 2025.
- ^ "Interview With Former Senior Official Reveals Systemic Violations in Ministry of Interior". Civil Georgia. 29 December 2024. Wikidata Q131609344. Archived from the original on 31 December 2024.
- ^ "Zourabichvili: the 'regime is [already] collapsing on its own'". OC Media. 23 December 2024. Wikidata Q131546301. Archived from the original on 23 December 2024.
- ^ "President Discusses with Opposition, CSOs Joint Vision for New Elections". Civil Georgia. 25 December 2024. Wikidata Q131552311. Archived from the original on 25 December 2024.
- ^ a b Resolution on Georgia's worsening democratic crisis following the recent parliamentary elections and alleged electoral fraud, 28 November 2024, Wikidata Q131560463, archived from the original on 26 December 2024
- ^ a b "Thousands in Georgia join human chains in anti-government protests". France 24. 2024-12-28. Retrieved 2024-12-29.
- ^ "Salome Zurabishvili to relocate Presidential Residence from Avlabari to Orbeliani Palace". Agenda.ge. 29 November 2018. Wikidata Q131584019. Archived from the original on 29 December 2024.
- ^ a b "Mikheil Kavelashvili, ex-Man City Striker and Georgia's Disputed Far-Right President". Kyiv Post. 29 December 2024. ISSN 1563-6429. Wikidata Q131582646. Archived from the original on 29 December 2024.
- ^ Martin Fornusek (29 December 2024). "Anti-Western Kavelashvili sworn in as Georgia's president, pro-EU Zourabichvili disputes legitimacy". The Kyiv Independent. Wikidata Q131583080. Archived from the original on 29 December 2024.
- ^ Joint Statement by the Foreign Ministers of France, Germany and Poland on Georgia, Council of Ministers, 31 December 2024, Wikidata Q131608442, archived from the original on 31 December 2024
- ^ Felix Light (29 November 2024), Protesters clash with Georgian police over government's EU application delay, Reuters, Wikidata Q131608585, archived from the original on 31 December 2024
- ^ "2024 Ambassadorial – GD Leaders Claim Georgia is Progressing Towards EU". Civil Georgia. 30 December 2024. Wikidata Q131604707. Archived from the original on 31 December 2024.
- ^ "GD Aborts EU Accession". Civil Georgia. 28 November 2024. Wikidata Q131608370. Archived from the original on 31 December 2024.