Opposition is against election of President of Georgia by collegium members

The proposal to elect President of Georgia by electoral collegium is considered by the State Constitutional Commission. The ruling party supports the project; however, oppositionists insist to preserve the presidential election by direct vote.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on March 16, the constitutionalist Vakhtang Khmaladze presented a plan, according to which President will be elected by the electoral collegium. Three country’s NGOs insist that President should be elected by direct vote.

In total, the above commission received three initiatives on how to elect President – by direct voting, or by indirect voting – either by the Parliament or by the electoral collegium.

For the ruling "Georgian Dream-Democratic Movement" Party, the electoral collegium is the preference, proposed by Vakhtang Khmaladze, a member of the above State Constitutional Commission and a former MP from the Republican Party.

Opposition parties are sure that "indirect election ensures the control of the ruling party over President."

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.