Georgia’s Parliament has passed a legislative package for banning political parties with increased and tightened rules in its second reading, with all 79 MPs voting in favor.
The amendments target so-called ‘successor parties’ that resemble banned political groups. Under the revised law, the Constitutional Court will be able to prohibit a party if its “declared purpose, essence of activity and personnel composition” mirrors those of a previously cancelled organization.
A primary change in the second reading cuts the court’s decision deadline to just 14 days, regardless of whether it’s an election period. Previously, the law allowed up to nine months for non-election periods.
“This is a logical deadline,” said ruling party MP Tornike Cheishvili. “The Court will already have ruled on the parent party, so establishing the identity of the successor’s activity and composition won’t take much time.”
The package amends both the ‘Law on Political Unions of Citizens’ and the ‘Law on the Constitutional Court’ and now proceeds to a final reading.
