Politics of Georgia

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Georgia has been a democratic republic since the first multiparty, democratic Parliamentary Elections of October 28, 1990. The President is elected for a term of 5 years; his constitutional successor is the Chairman of the Parliament.

The Georgian state is highly centralized, except for the autonomous regions of Abkhazia and Ajaria, which are to be given special autonomous status once Georgia's territorial integrity is restored. Those regions were subjects of special autonomies during Soviet rule and the legacy of that influence remains.

Table of contents

1 Political conditions
2 Government
3 President:
4 Executive branch
5 Legislative branch
6 Judicial branch
7 Political parties and leaders
8 International organization participation
9 See also

Political conditions

The Abkhaz separatist dispute absorbs much of the government's attention. While a cease-fire is in effect, about 300,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) who were driven from their homes during the conflict constitute a vocal lobby. The government has offered the region considerable autonomy in order to encourage a settlement that would allow the IDPs, the majority of whom are ethnic Georgians from the Gali region, to return home, but the Abkhaz insist on virtual independence.

Currently, Russian peacekeepers, under the authority of the Commonwealth of Independent States, are stationed in Abkhazia, along with UN observers, but both groups have recently had to restrict their activities due to increased mining and guerrilla activity. Negotiations have not resulted in movement toward a settlement. Working with France, U.K, Germany, and Russia and through the United Nations and the OSCE, the U.S. continues to encourage a comprehensive settlement consistent with Georgian independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. The UN observer force and other organizations are quietly encouraging grassroots cooperative and confidence-building measures in the region.

The parliament has instituted wideranging political reforms supportive of higher human rights standards, but really, in 1992-2003 (before the "Georgia's Rose Revolution" of November 21-23, 2003) Human Rights situation in Georgia was very hard.

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Georgia
local long form: none
local short form: Sak'art'velo
former: Georgian Soviet Socialist Republic

Data code: GG

Government type: republic

Capital: T'bilisi

Administrative divisions: Georgia is divided into 53 rayons (raionebi, singular - raioni), 9 cities* (k'alak'ebi, singular - k'alak'i), and 2 autonomous republics** (avtonomiuri respublika):

Abasha, Abkhazia or Apkhazetis Avtonomiuri Respublika** (Sokhumi), Adigeni, Ajaria or Ajaris Avtonomiuri Respublika** (Batumi), Akhalgori, Akhalkalaki, Akhaltsikhe, Akhmeta, Ambrolauri, Aspindza, Baghdati, Bolnisi, Borjomi, Chiatura*, Chkhorotsku, Chokhatauri, Dedoplistskaro, Dmanisi, Dusheti, Gardabani, Gori*, Gurjaani, Java, Kareli, Kaspi, Kharagauli, Khashuri, Khobi, Khoni, Kutaisi*, Lagodekhi, Lanchkhuti, Lentekhi, Marneuli, Martvili, Mestia, Mtskheta, Ninotsminda, Oni, Ozurgeti, Poti*, Kazbegi, Kvareli, Rustavi*, Sachkhere, Sagarejo, Samtredia, Senaki, Sighnaghi, Tbilisi*, Telavi, Terjola, Tetritsqaro, Tianeti, Tkibuli*, Tsageri, Tsalenjikha, Tsalka, Tskaltubo*, Vani, Zestaponi, Zugdidi*

note: administrative divisions have the same names as their administrative centers (exceptions have the administrative center name following in parentheses)

Independence: April 9, 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, April 9, (1991)

Constitution: adopted October 17, 1995

Legal system: based on civil law system

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal