Georgia parliamentary elections 2020: OSCE/ODIHR Limited election observation mission final report

The parliamentary elections in Georgia were competitive and administered efficiently despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, widespread allegations of pressure on voters and the blurring of the line between state and ruling party reduced public confidence in some areas of the process. These are some of the main conclusions from the 31 October 2020 parliamentary elections, as detailed in the final report published by the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).

The report offers 30 recommendations to improve the conduct of elections and increase the transparency of and public confidence in the electoral process.

Key recommendations include:

• Revising the legal framework – in a public procedure, following a broad, inclusive and timely consultation – in order to ensure better compliance with OSCE commitments and international standards
• Reconsidering the composition of the election administration so as to increase its impartiality and independence together with a more balanced political representation
• Taking prompt and effective steps to properly investigate allegations of voter and campaign staff intimidation in order to ensure public confidence in the electoral process
• Simplifying electoral dispute resolution rules so that citizens are entitled to lodge a complaint seeking remedy in case their electoral rights are violated
• Clarifying the vote recount and annulment criteria in order to provide for a transparent, fair and uniform practice in handling post-election complaints
• Reviewing the existing system for allocation of free air-time and of funds for advertising in order to enable equal campaign opportunities
• Reconsidering undue restrictions on active and passive suffrage rights

The ODIHR Limited Election Observation Mission for the 31 October 2020 parliamentary elections in Georgia commenced its work on 25 September 2020 and remained in the country until 11 November.

All 57 countries across the OSCE region have formally committed to follow up promptly on ODIHR’s election assessments and recommendations.