Two Judges Appointed to Georgia's Constitutional Court Ahead of Opposition Parties Ban Case
By Messenger Staff
Thursday, September 24, 2026
Georgia's Constitutional Court has filled two vacant seats with Goga Kikilashvili and Sergo Metopishvili as the court prepares to hear a Georgian Dream lawsuit seeking to ban several opposition parties.
Kikilashvili, 37, was appointed by Georgian Dream-elected President Mikheil Kavelashvili, while Metopishvili, 65, was selected by the Supreme Court Plenum.
The Constitutional Court has nine judges. Three are appointed by the president, three are elected by Parliament with at least three-fifths of its full membership, and three are appointed by the Supreme Court. Judges serve 10-year terms.
The appointments come as the court prepares to consider a lawsuit seeking to ban the United National Movement, Ahali/Coalition for Change, Lelo/Strong Georgia, the Federalists and Gakharia For Georgia. Georgian Dream has argued that the parties' activities violate the Constitution.
Kikilashvili replaces Giorgi Kverenchkhiladze, whose 10-year term ends on October 2. Kverenchkhiladze has been among the court's judges known for issuing dissenting opinions in rulings that critics viewed as favorable to the ruling party.
Another judge, Teimuraz Tughushi, is also due to leave the court in the coming months. He has likewise been known for dissenting opinions. Irine Imerlishvili left the Constitutional Court early last year.
Kikilashvili is the son of former Constitutional Court judge Khvicha Kikilashvili, who was appointed by the Supreme Court Plenum in April 2020 and resigned in 2025. Khvicha Kikilashvili was among six judges who ruled that then-President Salome Zurabishvili had violated the Constitution during her impeachment case.
Goga Kikilashvili has worked as an invited lecturer at several Georgian universities. Since October 2023, he has also served as a non-judge member of the High Council of Justice.
Metopishvili has been a judge at Tbilisi City Court since 2016 and became a judge of the Tbilisi Court of Appeals in July 2025. He previously chaired the Civil Cases Panel and later the Investigation, Pre-Trial and Substantive Hearing Panel at Tbilisi City Court.
Critics have described Metopishvili as part of the so-called "judicial clan," a term used by some civil society groups for a group of influential judges. In 2024, Metopishvili opposed a proposed judicial vetting mechanism, arguing that external checks on judges could undermine judicial independence and national sovereignty.
The appointments have drawn criticism from civil society and opposition figures who have raised concerns about the Constitutional Court's independence.
Nona Kurdovanidze, former chair of the Georgian Young Lawyers' Association, said: "Soon, dissenting opinions from judges will no longer be written at the Constitutional Court."
Nika Gvaramia, a leader of the Coalition for Change, also criticized the appointments on social media, saying, "The occupation of the Constitutional Court is complete," and accusing all nine judges of acting as "regime enforcers." He linked the appointments to the pending case against opposition parties.
The Constitutional Court has not yet ruled on the lawsuit.
