In the aftermath of the Presidential Election 2018, under auspices of the Georgian Parliament, a working group on electoral reform (WG) was established to improve and refine domestic electoral legislation with European standards and good practices, with a particular emphasis on incorporating recommendations depicted in OSCE ODIHR observation mission report on the recent presidential election.

The WG group is composed of representatives from political parties, civil society organisations and international community. US Embassy, EU Delegation to Georgia and the Council of Europe Office in Georgia facilitated an effective dialogue platform that contributed to the establishment of the WG. The CoE Georgia Office is actively engaged in the WG meetings.

In the light of the restrictions, introduced after the announcement of a State of Emergency in Georgia, as a responsive measure to COVID 19, the WG switched to an online regime and continued to work in a format of video conferences (webex platform).

As a result of series of meetings, a package of draft laws is being developed addressing most important issues, lively discussed among electoral stakeholders: a new rule for composition of election commissions, improved regulations aimed at preventing and responding to misuse of administrative resources, effective mechanisms for oversight of legality and transparency of political finances, rules ensuring better access to electoral process for persons with disabilities and etc. The draft law will be heard by the Georgian Parliament, together with the constitutional changes on electoral system, as soon as the State of Emergency is lifted.