Home > 2 Organising the elections > GEORGIA - Opinion on the Unified Election Code
 
 
 
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Paragraph 22
 

The Election Code, as amended in August 2003, follows a “political approach” and gives the President of Georgia, the autonomous republics and the political parties the right to appoint CEC members. Of course, a “political model” can be consistent with international standards if there is a balance between the political forces and if the CEC members act professionally, and not primarily as party representatives. No matter what model is chosen, the decisive point is whether the electoral commissions work independently and are regarded as legitimate by both the political contestants and the electorate. However, in the light of the recent political crisis in the aftermath of the 2003 parliamentary elections, the electoral administration’s reputation seems to be rather poor. Not surprisingly, the opposition sought the dismissal of the CEC chairperson after the last parliamentary elections.