1998 Georgian local elections

Local self-government election in Georgia (country) 1998 Georgian local elections Georgia 1990 local no 1991 Georgian local elections 1991 15 November 1998 41% 2002 Georgian local elections 2002 75px 200F75 Union of Citizens 615,430 36.19% Flag of the Democratic Union for Revival.svg 75px 070362 Revival 296,263 17.42% 75px 174078 Labour Party 151,532 8.91% 75px A91F39 Socialist Party 127,528 7.5% 75px AB031A National Democratic Party 125,944 7.41% 75px 062247 Popular Party 104,060 6.12% Local elections were held in Georgia on November 15, 1998. It was the first election after the activities of bodies of local government were terminated because of the 1991–1992 Georgian coup d'état. During the election, the voters voted for 10 693 representatives in the 1031 local representatives councils, Sakrebulo. The ruling Union of Citizens of Georgia party managed to receive most of the votes, but it failed to form majority in many councils, including those of big cities like Tbilisi, Kutaisi, Batumi, Rustavi, and Poti. Electoral system Prior to the elections, the Parliament of Georgia passed the new Law on Local Self-Governance and Governance in 1997. This law, while introducing the rules regarding self-governance, also included the features of central governance in local issues. The governance of capital Tbilisi was regulated by also recent law "On Georgian Capital — Tbilisi".Kobakhidze 2015 3510 September 2025 30 წელი თვითმმართველობის პირველი არჩევნებიდან – რა გვასწავლა ისტორიის გაკვეთილებმა 30 Years Since the First Self-Government Elections – What History Has Taught Us https://droa.ge/?p=110338 თვითმმართველობის დროა en According to the new laws, the villages, communities, urban-type settlements (Daba), and municipal-level cities were defined as the basic territorial units of self-governance. All these units were part of the municipalities (rayons). The municipalities themselves and republican-level cities were defined as the units of local governance.Kobakhidze 2015 53https://www.nplg.gov.ge/greenstone3/library/collection/period/document/HASH0189f1817f22fe9250148dd4;jsessionid=2F74224AE9F812F32983E044F8A2AC0E საქართველოში ადგილობრივი დემოკრატიის განვითარების წლიური ანგარიში Annual Report on the Development of Local Democracy in Georgia 2006 The National Library of Georgia Each of these units elected the representative council, Sakrebulo. In units with population more than 2 000, the elections were held through proportional system, while in other units - through majoritarian system.Kobakhidze 2015 54 There were 1031 elected Sakrebulos in total: 653 elected through majoritarian system, while 378 through proportional system. The Sakrebulos had 10 693 elected deputies in total. Each unit with population less than 2 000 was organized as a multi-mandate constituency. There was to be only one round of election and voters could select as many candidates as the district had the mandates. Those candidates who would get the most votes would be considered as elected to the Sakrebulo. In the units which held proportional elections, there was a 5% threshold if the number of Sakrebulo members exceeded 21 deputies. The executive body of self-governance was Gamgeoba. Gamgeobas were to be created only in self-governing units which had population more than 3 000. Each Gambgeoba consisted from 3 to 7 members, which were to be appointed by Gamgebeli, the head of Gamgeoba, in agreement with the Sakrebulo. The Sakrebulo had the right to withdraw its confidence from Gamgebeli, while he had the right of suspensive veto over the decisions of Sakrebulo.Kobakhidze 2015 53 Gamgebeli was the Sakrebulo chairman, which was selected by the respective Sakrebulo. In self-governing units, the Sakrebulos had from 5 to 25 members in accordance with the size of the population.Kobakhidze 2015 54 Rayons and big, republican-leval cities were defined as the units of central governance according to the new laws. However, they exercised the functions of central governance as well as self-governance within the eclectic system of local government.Kobakhidze 2015 44 Villages, communities, urban-type settlemetents and municipal-level cities constituted the first level of self-governance, while the rayons and republican-level cities constituted a second level. The symbiosis of the self-governance and central governance on the second level was reflected in a fact that the Sakrebulos in the rayons and republical-level cities were elected, but the heads of their executive bodies, gamgebelis and mayors, were appointed by the President of Georgia.Kobakhidze 2015 44 Conduct The elections did not take place in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which were under the separatist control. Also, the elections were either cancelled or declared revoked in 20 communities due to the climatic conditions.Iremadze 2020 109 Results Nationwide 13 electoral subjects took part in the election. All of them managed to receive at least one seat in the Sakrebulos throughout the country, except the Freedom Party.Iremadze 2020 110 + Party Votes % Union of Citizens of Georgia615430 36.19 Democratic Union for Revival 296 263 17.42 Georgian Labour Party 151 532 8.91 Socialist Party of Georgia 127 528 7.50 National Democratic Party 125 944 7.41 Popular Party 104 060 6.12 Union of Georgian Traditionalists 76 093 4.47 Merab Kostava Society 25 128 1.48 All-Georgia Political Organization Lemi 20 185 1.19 Athletic Georgia 23 199 1.36 National Concord Bloc 17 708 1.04 Greens Party of Georgia 15 700 0.92 Freedom Party of Georgia 5 7440.34 Source: , p. 111 1998 Tbilisi City Assembly election As a result of the election, the Labor Party candidate Lado Kakhadze was voted by the opposition deputies as the chairman of the Tbilisi City Assembly (Sakrebulo) on 9 December 1998. The deputies of the Union of Citizens of Georgia did not take part in the vote. Newsline - December 10, 1998 https://www.rferl.org/a/1141800.html 10 December 1998 Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty + Party Votes % Seats +/– Union of Citizens 77 286 29.94 20 New Labour Party 46 206 17.90 12 New Socialist Party 32 685 12.66 9 New Party of the People 19 100 7.40 4 New Democratic Union for Revival 18 116 7.02 4 New National Democratic Party 17152 6.65 3 New Union of Georgian Traditionalists 15 710 6.09 3 New Athletic Georgia 5 238 2.03 0 New Merab Kostava Society 4 150 1.61 0 New Total 258 095 100 55 ± Electorate/voter turnout 664 273 38.85 Source: , p. 111 Aftermath The ruling Union of Citizens managed to receive majority of votes, but it failed to gain majority of seats in most of the big cities, which led to the opposition forming majority in some of them. The opposition was even more successful on the first level of self-governance, especially towns. As a result of the election, the Labor candidate, Lado Kakhadze became the chairman of the Tbilisi City Assembly. The ruling party also notably failed to form majority in Batumi, Poti, Rustavi, Kutaisi, and in 33 rayons out of 65. The election was especially successful for the Labor Party.Gia Nodia https://rm.coe.int/168008db4c Georgia: 2006 Local Elections, Lessons Learned 2008 14-15 These political trends were not reflected in the Adjarian Autonomous Republic, where the semi-independent strongman Aslan Abashidze ruled. In Adjara, only Abashidze's Democratic Union for Revival managed to receive seats in Sakrebulos, while neither the Union of Citizens nor the opposition parties managed to gain any seats. According to some analysts, "the elections demonstrated clearly that one-man rule is beyond either the legal or the illegal capabilities of the SMK". The elections resulted in a success for both the left-wing and right-wing opposition parties: the Labor Party, the Popular Party, and the Union of Georgian Traditionalists.9 December 1998 Georgia: Local Elections Bring Significant Political Changes https://www.rferl.org/a/1090107.html Radio Liberty en However, the victories of the opposition did not really result in the real power for them. The gamgebelis on the first level soon discovered, that they lacked sufficient funds and were dependent on the rayon-level administrations, while Sakrebulos elected on the second level also lacked sufficient resources and ability to influence the second-level administrators, which were appointed by the President. Also in many cases, the opposition representatives soon joined the side of the government, which reversed the many victories of the opposition. This was especially evident in Tbilisi. Notably, Lado Kakhadze soon left the ranks of the Labor party and allied with the Union of Citizens. Ultimately, the results of the local elections did not prevent the government to secure a decisive victory in the 1999 Georgian parliamentary election. Ultimately, the Sakrebulos in 1998-2006 failed to accomplish their missions, because they either did not function at all or were too dependent on Gamgebelis, which became the de facto rulers of the self-governing units. The powers of Gamgebelis on the first level too were very limited, because they were dependent on rayon-level Gamgebelis. The lack of financial, material, and human resources resulted in the institutional weakness of local self-government in these years.Kobakhidze 2015 54 References Sources Kobakhidze Irakli ადგილობრივი თვითმმართველობა საქართველოში: 1991-2014 https://chaertemartvashi.ge/files/Local-Governance-Georgia-1994-2014.pdf თვითმმართველობის მარეგულირებელი კანონმდებლობა, ინსტიტუციური მოწყობა, უფლებამოსილებები და სახელმწიფო ზედამხედველობა (1991-2012) Legislation regulating self-government, institutional arrangement, powers and state supervision (1991-2012) 2015 სამოქალაქო კულტურის საერთაშორისო ცენტრი Tbilisi, Georgia Iremadze Irakli https://history.cec.gov.ge/PDF/ElectoralHistoryOfGeorgia.pdf Central Election Commission of Georgia Electoral History of Georgia: 1990-2018 2020 Category:1998 elections in Europe Category:1998 elections in Asia Category:1998 in Georgia (country) Category:Local elections in Georgia (country) Category:November 1998 in Europe Category:November 1998 in Asia