Constitution of Georgia (1995, as amended 2013) (excerpts related to citizenship) (English)
CONSTITUTION OF GEORGIA
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Article 2
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4. The citizens of Georgia registered in a self-governing unit shall regulate the affairs of local
importance through local self-government, without prejudice to the state sovereignty, according to
the legislation of Georgia. State authorities shall promote the development of local self-governance.
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Article 4
1. After appropriate conditions have been created and local self-government bodies have been
formed throughout the territory of Georgia, 2 chambers shall be set up within the Parliament of
Georgia: the Council of Republic and the Senate.
2. The Council of Republic shall consist of members elected under the principle of proportionality.
3. The Senate shall consist of members elected from the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, the
Autonomous Republic of Ajara, and other territorial units of Georgia, as well as 5 members
appointed by the President of Georgia.
4. The composition, powers, and election procedure of the chambers shall be defined by an organic
law.
Constitutional Law of Georgia No 260 of 20 April 2000 - LHG I, No 15, 25.4.2000, Art. 36
Constitutional Law of Georgia No 1689 of 10 October 2002 - LHG I, No 28, 28.10.2002, Art. 128
Article 5
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2. People shall exercise their power through a referendum, other forms of direct democracy, and
their representatives.
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Article 28
1. Every citizen of Georgia, who has attained the age of 18, shall have the right to participate in
referenda and elections of state and self-government bodies. Free expression of the will of voters
shall be guaranteed.
2. Citizens who have been found legally incapable by court or who have been deprived of their
liberty by a court decision shall have no right to participate in elections and referenda, except
persons having committed crimes of little gravity.
Constitutional Law of Georgia No 5630 of 27 December 2011– website, 9.1.2012
Article 29
1. Every citizen of Georgia shall have the right to hold any public office if they meet the requirements
established by law.
11. A citizen of Georgia who is at the same time a citizen of any foreign country may not hold the
office of President, Prime Minister, or Chairperson of the Parliament of Georgia.
2. The requirements for state service shall be defined by Law.
Constitutional Law of Georgia No 3710 of 15 October 2010 - LHG I, No 62, 5.11.2010, Art. 379
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Article 49
1. Before the conditions under Article 4 of the Constitution of Georgia have been created, the
Parliament of Georgia shall consist of 77 members elected by a proportional voting system and 73
members elected by a majoritarian voting system. The MPs shall serve for a term of four years based
on universal, equal, and direct suffrage through secret ballot.
2. Any citizen who is twenty-one years old and has the right to vote may be elected as an MP.
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Article 50
1. A political union of citizens, registered as determined by law, shall have the right to stand for
elections if the initiative is supported by the signatures of voters under an organic law or if it has a
representative in Parliament at the time when elections are scheduled. The number of signatures of
voters determined by organic law shall not exceed 1% of the number of voters. The procedure and
conditions for participating in an election under the majoritarian system shall be determined by
electoral legislation.
2. MP seats, as a result of an election held under the majoritarian system, shall be distributed only
among political associations and electoral blocks that have obtained at least 5% of votes from those
participating in the elections. The electoral subjects who have obtained fewer seats than needed for
the creation of a parliamentary faction shall be given seats, after the distribution of MP seats, to fill
seats based on the minimum amount necessary to set up a faction under the legislation of Georgia.
The procedure for distribution of MP seats, as a result of the election held under the majoritarian
system, shall be determined by electoral legislation.
21. Regular parliamentary elections shall be held during the month of October in the calendar year
when Parliament’s term of office expires. The President of Georgia shall fix the date of elections not
later than 60 days before the elections.
3. If the date for holding elections coincides with a state of emergency or martial law, the elections
shall be held on the 60th day after the state of emergency has been lifted. The President of Georgia
shall fix the date for elections upon lifting the state of emergency or martial law. In the case of the
early dissolution of Parliament, extraordinary elections shall be held on the 60th day after the edict
of dissolution of Parliament comes into force. The President of Georgia shall fix the date for
extraordinary elections once the edict of dissolution for Parliament comes into force.
31. Parliament shall terminate its activity after a presidential edict of dissolution of Parliament comes
into force. During the period from the coming into force the presidential edict of dissolution to the
first meeting of the newly elected Parliament, the dissolved Parliament shall convene only to make a
decision on approval and/or extension of a state of emergency or martial law, but only if President
has declared a state of emergency or martial law. Unless Parliament convenes within five days or
approves (extends) the presidential edict for declaration (extension) of a state of emergency, the
declared state of emergency shall be canceled. Martial law shall be canceled if Parliament does not
approve the presidential edict for declaration (extension) of martial law within 48 hours after it has
convened. Convening Parliament shall not lead to the restoration of parliamentary posts and salaries
of MPs. Parliament shall cease its activity upon making decisions on the above issues.
4. The powers of Parliament shall cease immediately at the first meeting of the newly elected
Parliament.
5. The procedure for an MP election and his/her eligibility to stand for an election shall be defined by
the Constitution and organic law.,
Constitutional Law of Georgia No 2221 of 20 July 1999 - LHG I, No 35(42), 28.7.1999, Art. 169
Constitutional Law of Georgia No 3272 of 6 February 2004 - LHG I, No 2, 7.2.2004, Art. 5
Constitutional Law of Georgia No 4133 of 27 December 2006 - LHG I, No 3, 11.1.2007, Art. 44
Constitutional Law of Georgia No 5853 of 12 March 2008 - LHG I, No 3, 13.3.2008, Art. 8
Constitutional Law of Georgia No 5630 of 27 December 2011 - website, 9.1.2012
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Article 70
1. The President of Georgia shall be elected through universal, equal, and direct suffrage by secret
ballot for a term of five years. The same person may serve as a president only for two consecutive
terms.
2. Any citizen of Georgia who is eligible to vote may be elected as the President of Georgia if he/she
is thirty-five years old, has lived in Georgia for at least five years, and has been living in Georgia for
the last three years before the election.
3. The right to nominate a candidate for the Presidency shall be vested with a political association of
citizens or an initiative group. The nomination shall be supported by the signatures of voters as
determined by organic law of Georgia. The number of signatures of voters referred to in organic law
shall not exceed 1% of the total number of voters.
4. A candidate having received more than half of the votes of those taking part in elections shall be
deemed elected.
5. If no candidate has received the required number of votes in the first round, a second round of
elections shall be held within two weeks after the first round results are officially announced.
6. The second round of elections shall be held between 2 candidates with the best results in the first
round. Candidate having received a majority of votes shall be deemed elected.
7. If only one candidate takes part in the first round and does not receive the necessary number of
votes, new elections shall be held within two months from the date of elections.
8. No election shall be held during a state of emergency or martial law.
9. Regular presidential elections shall be held in the month of October of a calendar year when the
President’s powers expire. The President of Georgia shall fix the date of elections not later than 60
days before the elections.
10. (Deleted – 15.10.2010, No 3710).
Constitutional Law of Georgia No 2224 of 20 July 1999 - LHG I, No 35(42), 28.7.1999, Art. 170
Constitutional Law of Georgia No 3272 of 6 February 2004 - LHG I, No 2, 7.2.2004, Art. 5
Constitutional Law of Georgia No 4133 of 27 December 2006 - LHG I, No 3, 11.1.2007, Art. 44
Constitutional Law of Georgia No 5853 of 12 March 2008 - LHG I, No 3, 13.3.2008, Art. 8
Constitutional Law of Georgia No 3710 of 15 October 2010 - LHG I, No 62, 5.11.2010, Art. 379
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CHAPTER NINE
Transitional Provisions
Article 104
1. The Constitution of Georgia shall enter into force upon the date of recognising the powers of the
newly elected President and the Parliament of Georgia.
2. Articles 49, 50 and 70 of the Constitution shall enter into force after the Constitution is
promulgated.
Article 1041
1. Article 49(1) and Article 58(1) of the Constitution shall enter into force as soon as appropriate
amendments and additions are made to the organic law Election Code of Georgia.
2. The composition of the Parliament of Georgia elected in 2004, before termination of its office, and
the number of the MPs required for the establishment of a faction shall be determined by the
legislation applicable at the time of parliamentary elections.
3. Regular elections of the Parliament of Georgia for 2008 shall take place in May. The President of
Georgia shall schedule the date of elections not later than 60 days before elections.
Constitutional Law of Georgia No 1010 of 23 February 2005 - LHG I, No 8, 10.3.2005, Art. 57
Constitutional Law of Georgia No 4133 of 27 December 2006 - LHG I, No 3, 11.1.2007, Art. 44
Constitutional Law of Georgia No 5833 of 11 March 2008 - LHG I, No 3, 13.3.2008, Art. 7
Article 1042
Powers of an MP of Georgia shall be restored for the MPs who were elected on 21 May 2008 under
proportional electoral system but their term of office was terminated early by Resolution of
Parliament in accordance with Article 54(2)(a) of the Constitution of Georgia, provided that the
powers of their substitutes have not been acknowledged and if they give their consent to such
restoration before 1 January 2010.
Constitutional Law of Georgia No 1675 of 24 September 2009 - LHG I, No 29, 12.10.2009, Art. 158
Article 1043
1. Extraordinary elections of local self-government bodies shall be held not later than 1 June 2010.
2. Elections for Tbilisi Mayor shall be held by fair, universal, equal, and direct suffrage through secret
ballot within the timeframe defined in the first paragraph of this article.
3. The President of Georgia shall schedule the date for the elections set forth in the first and second
paragraphs of this article not later than 60 days before the election.
4. The Parliament of Georgia shall ensure the compliance of other legislative acts of Georgia with
this article within one month after it is enacted.
Constitutional Law of Georgia No 2565 of 12 February 2010 - LHG I, No 6, 22.2.2010, Art. 20
Article 1044
1. Individuals of appropriate age, also citizens of Georgia shall have the right to participate and cast
votes in parliamentary and presidential elections held before 1 January 2014 if they were born in
Georgia and have been living in Georgia for the last five years, and if they are the citizens of a
member state of the European Union at the time of enactment of this article.
2. Limitations set forth in Article 29(11) of the Constitution shall not apply to the case in the first
paragraph of this article.
Constitutional Law of Georgia No 6238 of 22 May 2012 - website, 29.5.2012
Article 105
1. A political union of citizens registered as determined by law, the initiative of which is supported by
at least 50 000 signatures or which had a representative in Parliament on the day when this
Constitution was adopted, shall have the right to stand for elections in 1995.
2. Elections shall be held under the proportional electoral system with a unified party list.
3. A political union or an electoral block shall have the right to nominate a candidate for MP in a
majoritarian electoral district who is at the same time on its party list.
4. A candidate having obtained the most number of votes but not less than one third of votes shall
be deemed elected in a majoritarian electoral district.
5. If none of the candidates received the required number of votes in the first round, the second
round shall be held. Two candidates with the best results shall take part in the second round. The
candidate having received the most number of votes shall be deemed elected.
6. This article shall enter into force upon the promulgation of the Constitution and shall be valid until
the tenure of a newly elected Parliament is recognised.
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