Georgia

Government organization

Georgia is a unitary republic with three spheres of government: central, intermediate (the Autonomous Republics), and local.

Central government

Head of State: The President is elected by the Electoral College, which consists of 300 members, including all members of the Parliament of Georgia and of the supreme representative bodies of the Autonomous Republics of Abkhazia and Ajara.
Head of Government: The Prime Minister is appointed by the President.
Legislative body: The Parliament is a unicameral legislature whose members are directly elected by voters.
Executive body: The Government is composed of the Prime Minister and ministers appointed by the Prime Minister.

Autonomous Republics of Abkhazia and Adjara government

Legislative body: The Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia (in the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia) and the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara (in the Autonomous Republic of Adjara) are composed of members directly elected by voters.
Executive body: The Government of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia (in the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia) and the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara (in the Autonomous Republic of Adjara) are composed of a chairperson, a prime minister, and ministers.

Local government

Organization: Local government is organized into one tier of 70 municipalities, consisting of 64 self-governing communities and 5 self-governing cities. The Autonomous Republic Of Abkhazia is divided in 6 municipalities; the Autonomous Republic of Adjara is divided in 5 municipalities and 1 self-governing city.
Competencies: Local government is responsible for preparing and approving the budget, managing and disposing property, managing natural resources of local importance, introducing local taxes and fees, developing and approving spatial plans, municipal waste management, establishing educational institutions, managing local roads and traffic, organizing municipal transport services for the population, issuing construction permits, regulating rallies, demonstrations, and outdoor advertising, establishing rules for pets and resolving issues related to stray animals, arranging and maintaining cemeteries, and protecting and developing local identity, creative activities, and cultural heritage.
Ministerial oversight: Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure

Overview of local government

Local government composition

Municipalities (მუნიციპალიტეტები)

Deliberative body: The municipal council is composed of 16-25 elected members. The Municipal Council of Tbilisi is composed of 50 elected members. A chairperson is elected by and from the municipal council to preside over it; the chairperson is not vested with executive powers.

Executive body: The city hall is composed of an elected mayor, deputy mayors, and the heads of the structural units of the city hall, to not exceed a maximum of 13 total members. The deputy mayors and the heads of the structural units of the city hall are appointed by the mayor.

Local government elections

Electoral system

Electoral system for municipal councils: mixed: proportional representation (closed list) and majority/plurality (two-round system)

Municipal council elections are held on the basis of proportional and majoritarian electoral systems; a voter has one vote based on the proportional electoral system and one vote based on the majoritarian electoral system.
The municipal councils of the self-governing communities consist of at least 15 members elected using the proportional electoral system and one member elected by the majoritarian electoral system. The number of members elected by the majoritarian system is the following:
- Self-governing community with 4,000-10,000 voters: two members;
- Self-governing community with 10,000- 20,000 voters: three members;
- Self-governing community with 20,000-35,000 voters: four members;
- Self-governing city (including Tbilisi): 10 members.
On the basis of the majoritarian electoral system, the candidate who receives more than 40% of the votes cast is declared elected. If no candidate achieves this threshold, a second round is held with the two (or more, in case of equal voting scores between two or more candidates) candidates who achieved the highest score. Communities where there are more than one seats elected through the majority/plurality system are divided in constituencies. One member is elected per constituency.
Members elected through the proportional electoral system are elected through a closed-list system with a 4% Threshold.

Electoral system for mayors: majority/plurality (two-round system)

Mayors are directly elected by voters; the municipality is one constituency for mayoral elections. The candidate receiving the majority (at least 50%) of valid votes is elected as mayor. If no candidate obtains the absolute majority of votes, a second round is held between the two candidates with the highest number of votes.

Source: Election Code, 2011 (amended through 2022), articles 140, 148, 149, 149-1 and 169

Quotas

Gender quotas: candidate quotas, ranking/placement, sanctions, incentives

Until 2028, one in every two candidates on the submitted list is of an opposite sex.
Until 2028, lists that do not respect gender balance will be given 3 days to rectify or else will be rejected.
Maintaining gender balance is related to additional funding provided by the Organic Law of Georgia on Citizens’ Political Associations.

Additional quotas: No

Source: Election Code, 2011 (amended through 2022), article 143 and 203

Term of elections

Term length: 4 years
Last local elections: 2021
Next local elections: 2025

Electoral management body

Central Election Commission of Georgia

National legal framework on local government

National legal framework

Constitution of Georgia, 1995 (amended through 2018);
Constitution of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, 1978 (amended through 2019);
Constitution of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, 2008 (amended through 2020);
Local Self-Government Code, 2014 (amended through 2022);
Election Code, 2011 (amended through 2022).

Constitutional provisions on local government

There are constitutional provisions that establish local government in Georgia. According to Article 74 of the Constitution of Georgia of 1995 (amended through 2020), “citizens of Georgia shall regulate issues of local importance through representative and executive bodies of local self-government. Representative bodies shall be elected on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage by secret ballot. Executive bodies shall execute the decisions of the representative bodies and shall be accountable to them. A self-governing unit is a legal entity under public law. Local self-governance shall be carried out in accordance with the procedures established by the organic law.”

Legislative provisions on local government

The Parliament is responsible for establishing the national legal framework on local government. The key piece of legislation that regulates local government is the Local Self-Government Code of 2014 (amended through 2022). According to Article 2 of the Local Self-Government Code, “local self-government is the right and opportunity of the citizens of Georgia, through local self-government bodies, to resolve issues of local importance in accordance with the interests of the local population within the framework of the legislation of Georgia. A self-governing unit is a municipality. The municipality has elective representative and executive bodies (hereinafter - municipal bodies), registered population and has its own property, budget, revenues. The municipality is a legal entity under public law.”

Sources:

1. UN Women: Data on share of women in local government as of 1 January 2023.

2. UN Women: Information on Head of State and Government as of 3 October 2023.

3. Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU): Data on share of women in the single/lower chamber of parliament as of 1 January 2023.

4. IPU and UN Women: Data on share of women in ministerial positions as of 1 January 2023.

5. Information on local government organization as of 1 January 2023.

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Local government country profile

Local government country profile

Government organization

Overview of local government