The messenger logo

Future government

By Messenger Staff
Thursday, August 30
There is constant speculation as to the kind of government Georgia should choose as for its political system. Since regaining its independence, Georgia has been a presidential republic, where the president exercises supreme power, as head of the state and heading the cabinet of ministers. When the Rose administration came to power, the position of prime minister was reestablished but the president still was the supreme power in the country. Recently, there were amendments introduced in Georgia's Constitution that effectively transfers power to the prime minister and away from the president beginning in 2013. Many think this was done to allow President Saakashvili to retain power by easily becoming prime minister with additional rights and powers.

What is interesting is to ask what the opposition Georgian Dream Coalition suggests. Leader Bidzina Ivanishvili states that the coalition is a pluralistic body. He admitted that there are various opinions concerning the subject. For instance, Irakli Alasania and the Free Democrats want Georgia to be a presidential republic. However, the Republican Party tends to support the idea of a parliamentary republic. Ivanishvili himself feels sympathy towards the parliamentary system, however, it is not the matter of much importance; the only thing which Ivanishvili demands is rule of law. When recently asked by journalists about his opinion on these issues, he suggested that it needed public opinion to be observed. He expressed his willingness to hold the referendum on the issues if necessary. According to Ivanishvili the issue should be delayed for sometime before the elections are over.