GEORGIA: parliamentary elections Sakartvelos Parlamenti, 1995

GEORGIA
Parliamentary Chamber: Sakartvelos Parlamenti

ELECTIONS HELD IN 1995

<<< Return to the Historical Archive page of parliamentary election results for GEORGIA <<<

Chamber:

Sakartvelos Parlamenti

Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):

5 November 1995
19 November 1995

Purpose of elections:

Elections were held for all the seats of the new Parliament provided for in the Constitution of August 1995. General elections had previously been held in October 1992.

Background and outcome of elections:

The 1995 general elections were the second since independence was attained in 1991, with legislative and presidential polling scheduled concurrently. In August 1995, a new Electoral Law and Constitution which, inter alia, provided for a presidency had been adopted.
Altogether five candidates challenged outgoing Head of State (as Chairman of Parliament) Eduard Shevardnadze of the Citizens' Union of Georgia, the leading opponent being Mr. Dzhumber Patiashvili, the former first secretary of the Georgian Communist Party. Topping the opposition parties in the parliamentary races were two centre-right, pro-reform groups: the National Democratic Party and the All-Georgian Union of Revival. Altogether some 3000 candidates and more than 50 parties or alliances vied for the 235 seats at stake.
During the campaign, Mr. Shevardnadze - regarded by many as the only one able to tackle Georgia's problems - advocated continued economic reform and called for reunification of the country as well as suppression of the private armies which had cropped up since independence. Other prominent issues related to the conflict with the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as well as ramifications of often-tense relations with the Russian Federation.
Polling day was generally peaceful, and international observers detected no major irregularities. According to results released by the Central Electoral Commission, the Citizens' Union swept to victory in the legislative contests, thus riding the coattails of Chairman Shevardnadze, himself overwhelmingly elected President with nearly 75% of the popular vote and widely regarded as the only one able to tackle Georgia's problems. Only three parties achieved the 5% threshold needed for parliamentary representation according to the proportional system. Of the 85 majority seats, 10 were not filled in the secessionist regions where polling was indefinitely suspended and runoffs for 36 others were required on 19 November.
On 25 November, the newly elected legislature held its first session and, the next day, President Shevardnadze - who had narrowly escaped an assassination attempt three months earlier - was sworn in for a five-year term. Having proclaimed that "democracy and reforms have triumphed in Georgia", he appointed the new Cabinet on 11 December. It is headed by the Minister of State, Mr. Nikoloz Lekishvili.

STATISTICS

Round no 1 (5 November 1995): Elections results

Number of registered electors 3,121,075

Voters 2,127,946 (68.18%)

Round no 1: Distribution of votes

Political Group %

Citizens’ Union 23.71

National Democratic Party 7.95

All-Georgian Union of Revival 6.84

Progress bloc -

Socialist Party of Georgia 3.79

Tanadgoma (Solidarity) bloc -

Union of Georgian Traditionalists 4.22

Reformers Union of Georgia-National Concord 2.89

United Republican Party -

State Justice Union -

Lemi Organisation -

Abkhazian Deputies -

Independents -

Round no 1: Distribution of seats

Political Group Total Proportional Majority

Citizens’ Union 107 90 17

National Democratic Party 34 31 3

All-Georgian Union of Revival 31 25 6

Progress bloc 4 0 4

Socialist Party of Georgia 4 0 4

Tanadgoma (Solidarity) bloc 3 0 3

Union of Georgian Traditionalists 2 0 2

Reformers Union of Georgia-National Concord 2 0 2

United Republican Party 1 0 1

State Justice Union 1 0 1

Lemi Organisation 1 0 1

Abkhazian Deputies 12 0 12

Independents 29 0 29

Comments:

Plus 4 vacancies

Distribution of seats according to sex:

Men: 215

Women: 16

Distribution of seats according to profession:

Engineers 58

Economists 39

Teachers 21

Physicists 13

Physicians 12

Lawyers 11

Politicians 11

Historians 10

Philologists 9

Producers 4

Mathematicians 4

Biologists 4

Writers 3

Agronomists 3

Political scientists 2

Journalists 2

Philosophers 2

Zoo engineers 2

Others 21

<<< Return to the Historical Archive page of parliamentary election results for GEORGIA <<<

Chamber:
	Sakartvelos Parlamenti
Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):
	5 November 1995 19 November 1995
Purpose of elections:
	Elections were held for all the seats of the new Parliament provided for in the Constitution of August 1995. General elections had previously been held in October 1992.
Background and outcome of elections:
	The 1995 general elections were the second since independence was attained in 1991, with legislative and presidential polling scheduled concurrently. In August 1995, a new Electoral Law and Constitution which, inter alia, provided for a presidency had been adopted. Altogether five candidates challenged outgoing Head of State (as Chairman of Parliament) Eduard Shevardnadze of the Citizens' Union of Georgia, the leading opponent being Mr. Dzhumber Patiashvili, the former first secretary of the Georgian Communist Party. Topping the opposition parties in the parliamentary races were two centre-right, pro-reform groups: the National Democratic Party and the All-Georgian Union of Revival. Altogether some 3000 candidates and more than 50 parties or alliances vied for the 235 seats at stake. During the campaign, Mr. Shevardnadze - regarded by many as the only one able to tackle Georgia's problems - advocated continued economic reform and called for reunification of the country as well as suppression of the private armies which had cropped up since independence. Other prominent issues related to the conflict with the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as well as ramifications of often-tense relations with the Russian Federation. Polling day was generally peaceful, and international observers detected no major irregularities. According to results released by the Central Electoral Commission, the Citizens' Union swept to victory in the legislative contests, thus riding the coattails of Chairman Shevardnadze, himself overwhelmingly elected President with nearly 75% of the popular vote and widely regarded as the only one able to tackle Georgia's problems. Only three parties achieved the 5% threshold needed for parliamentary representation according to the proportional system. Of the 85 majority seats, 10 were not filled in the secessionist regions where polling was indefinitely suspended and runoffs for 36 others were required on 19 November. On 25 November, the newly elected legislature held its first session and, the next day, President Shevardnadze - who had narrowly escaped an assassination attempt three months earlier - was sworn in for a five-year term. Having proclaimed that "democracy and reforms have triumphed in Georgia", he appointed the new Cabinet on 11 December. It is headed by the Minister of State, Mr. Nikoloz Lekishvili.

Round no 1 (5 November 1995): Elections results
Number of registered electors	3,121,075
Voters	2,127,946 (68.18%)

Round no 1: Distribution of votes
Political Group	%
Citizens’ Union	23.71
National Democratic Party	7.95
All-Georgian Union of Revival	6.84
Progress bloc	-
Socialist Party of Georgia	3.79
Tanadgoma (Solidarity) bloc	-
Union of Georgian Traditionalists	4.22
Reformers Union of Georgia-National Concord	2.89
United Republican Party	-
State Justice Union	-
Lemi Organisation	-
Abkhazian Deputies	-
Independents	-

Round no 1: Distribution of seats
Political Group	Total	Proportional	Majority
Citizens’ Union	107	90	17
National Democratic Party	34	31	3
All-Georgian Union of Revival	31	25	6
Progress bloc	4	0	4
Socialist Party of Georgia	4	0	4
Tanadgoma (Solidarity) bloc	3	0	3
Union of Georgian Traditionalists	2	0	2
Reformers Union of Georgia-National Concord	2	0	2
United Republican Party	1	0	1
State Justice Union	1	0	1
Lemi Organisation	1	0	1
Abkhazian Deputies	12	0	12
Independents	29	0	29

Distribution of seats according to profession:
Engineers	58
Economists	39
Teachers	21
Physicists	13
Physicians	12
Lawyers	11
Politicians	11
Historians	10
Philologists	9
Producers	4
Mathematicians	4
Biologists	4
Writers	3
Agronomists	3
Political scientists	2
Journalists	2
Philosophers	2
Zoo engineers	2
Others	21