The International Republican Institute (IRI) on July 18 announced the start of its international observation mission ahead of the October 26 parliamentary elections in Georgia.

According to the IRI, leveraging long-standing relationships with electoral institutions, political stakeholders, and the international community, it will deploy 20 long-term observers to cover municipalities and electoral districts across the country in the months leading up to the election. All stakeholders have been receptive to the presence of international election observers.

“Observers will be deployed in the field prior to the start of the election campaign period” said Stephen Nix, Senior Director for Eurasia at IRI. “This will enable the mission to analyze the context leading up to these elections, along with the efforts made by political and electoral stakeholders to support an inclusive and transparent electoral process,” said Nix.

This election marks a pivotal moment for democracy in Georgia. The need for a transparent and credible electoral process that affords citizens diverse choices was among nine conditions laid out as part of Georgia’s European Union candidacy status in late 2023.

“The government of Georgia has an opportunity to prioritize electoral transparency, in ensuring that Georgia administers credible elections free from any pressures or physical obstacles. As such, this election will serve as the litmus test for Georgia’s democratic trajectory,” said Nix.

IRI’s observation team will conduct its activities in accordance with the Declaration of Principles for International Election Observation and Code of Conduct for International Election Observers.   Findings and recommendations will be based on Georgia’s laws, international standards for elections, and the commitments to be made in the forthcoming Political Party Code of Conduct.

For over 20 years, IRI has supported a range of programming in the political, electoral and civic space in Georgia, with the aim of supporting political parties to develop issue-based platforms and messaging, increasing inclusion of underrepresented groups in the political decision-making process, bolstering citizen access to accurate and methodologically sound research, and encouraging citizen-centered governance.