ISFED Condemns Plan to Abolish Voting Rights for Georgians Abroad
By Liza Mchedlidze
Wednesday, November 19, 2025
The International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED) has sharply criticized the Georgian Dream party's proposal to remove the right of citizens living abroad to vote in parliamentary elections. The statement follows remarks by Georgian Dream Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on November 17 outlining planned amendments to the Election Code.
ISFED said that depriving Georgians living abroad of the ability to vote is a step against inclusive democracy and undermines the principle of universal suffrage in a society with increasing geographical mobility.
The organization emphasized that "any significant legislative change, especially one restricting the rights of tens of thousands of citizens, requires stakeholder engagement and reasonable timelines." ISFED also warned that in recent years, major electoral reforms in Georgia have often been pushed through without formal consultations, serving narrow partisan interests. The plan to abolish voting from abroad follows this pattern, the statement said.
ISFED noted that while traditional interpretations of electoral law do not require states to allow voting for citizens abroad, international norms encourage the protection of these rights. According to ISFED, the 2005 Resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) underscores that electoral rights form the basis of democratic legitimacy and must evolve to ensure inclusive democracy. The organization highlighted that both PACE and the Venice Commission advocate for measures that facilitate voting for citizens living abroad.
The group also pointed out that, according to the International IDEA, more than 150 countries allow citizens to vote abroad, including nearly all Council of Europe member states. ISFED said abolishing this right in Georgia would run counter to international best practices and global trends, which increasingly offer in-person, postal, and electronic voting options for citizens abroad.
ISFED highlighted the partisan implications of the proposal, noting that in the 2024 parliamentary elections, Georgian Dream received only about 13% of votes at polling stations abroad compared with roughly 54% nationwide. The organization described the plan as appearing to serve narrow political interests rather than democratic principles.
ISFED concluded by urging the Georgian Dream-led parliament not to support the abolition of voting from abroad and instead to take steps to expand opportunities for Georgian citizens living outside the country to exercise their electoral rights.
