Author

  • Salome Kandelaki is currently a Project Coordinator and Junior Policy Analyst at the Georgian Institute of Politics. Salome is a Ph.D. student in Political Science at Tbilisi State University. She is an invited lecturer at the European University, Georgia.  In 2017, she obtained her MA degree in Political Science from the Central European University Budapest. At the same time, she was specialized in Comparative Politics. Moreover, she has the second Master’s degree in Public Administration (MPA) from the joint program of German University of Administrative Sciences and Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. Her previous work experience includes Fundraising Management at the Social Justice Center (former EMC).  She was also a leading acting specialist at the Tbilisi City Assembly as well as project management in different youth non-governmental organizations. Her field of experience is comparative case-study analyses with a particular focus on religion and democracy, regionalism and democratization. Among her research interests are Europeanization, frozen conflicts as well as secularism in Europe.

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22/05/2022 Salome Kandelaki

Low Election Threshold: the End of Bipolarity or a New Challenge?

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Author

  • Salome Kandelaki is currently a Project Coordinator and Junior Policy Analyst at the Georgian Institute of Politics. Salome is a Ph.D. student in Political Science at Tbilisi State University. She is an invited lecturer at the European University, Georgia.  In 2017, she obtained her MA degree in Political Science from the Central European University Budapest. At the same time, she was specialized in Comparative Politics. Moreover, she has the second Master’s degree in Public Administration (MPA) from the joint program of German University of Administrative Sciences and Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. Her previous work experience includes Fundraising Management at the Social Justice Center (former EMC).  She was also a leading acting specialist at the Tbilisi City Assembly as well as project management in different youth non-governmental organizations. Her field of experience is comparative case-study analyses with a particular focus on religion and democracy, regionalism and democratization. Among her research interests are Europeanization, frozen conflicts as well as secularism in Europe.

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Publish Date:
2022-05-22 13:59:44
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The majority of Georgian parliamentary parties support a 2% threshold for the 2024 parliamentary elections, which will take place for the first time per a fully proportional electoral system. It is hoped that this will encourage more political pluralism and less bipolarity. Decreasing the threshold is also a part of the so-called Charles Michel agreement, the fulfillment of which is important for the country’s democratization and European integration. Low election threshold is not essential for the ruling and the biggest opposition parties. However, it is detrimental for parliamentary representation of small parties, particularly in the environment, where it will be impossible to create party blocs for the future elections.

This paper discusses the prospects of various parties with regards to the election threshold and analyses the importance of the threshold in the development of a multi-party parliamentary democracy. The paper also discusses the potential positive and negative impacts of the 2% election threshold in the context of Georgia, and offers recommendations to reduce bipolarity and political polarization. Facts and arguments presented in the paper are based on a literature review, official statements of politicians and an analysis of interviews conducted with party leaders.

Key Words: 2% threshold, bipolarity, polarization, parliamentary elections, parties

Also, in the following policy document:

  • What are the main features of polarization in Georgia?
  • 2% vs 5% election threshold: opportunities to create coalition
  • Is decreasing the electoral threshold the only way out of bipolarity?
  • The view of big and small parties on 2% election threshold

Policy Brief #39 | May 2022

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Salome Kandelaki

Salome Kandelaki is currently a Project Coordinator and Junior Policy Analyst at the Georgian Institute of Politics. Salome is a Ph.D. student in Political Science at Tbilisi State University. She is an invited lecturer at the European University, Georgia.  In 2017, she obtained her MA degree in Political Science from the Central European University Budapest. At the same time, she was specialized in Comparative Politics. Moreover, she has the second Master’s degree in Public Administration (MPA) from the joint program of German University of Administrative Sciences and Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. Her previous work experience includes Fundraising Management at the Social Justice Center (former EMC).  She was also a leading acting specialist at the Tbilisi City Assembly as well as project management in different youth non-governmental organizations. Her field of experience is comparative case-study analyses with a particular focus on religion and democracy, regionalism and democratization. Among her research interests are Europeanization, frozen conflicts as well as secularism in Europe.