Georgia's Central Election Commission has refused to register the country’s former foreign minister as a presidential candidate.
The commission said its decision on September 3 was based on the fact that Salome Zurabishvili has dual Georgian-French citizenship. Georgia's constitution bars individuals with dual citizenship from serving as the nation's president, prime minister, or parliament speaker.
Zurabishvili told journalists that the commission's decision is politically motivated, as some political circles in the country do not want to see her as a presidential candidate. She said she plans to sue the election commission.
Candidates of the United National Movement of outgoing President Mikheil Saakashvili and the Georgian Dream political bloc of Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili are expected to be major rivals in the October 27 poll.
The commission said its decision on September 3 was based on the fact that Salome Zurabishvili has dual Georgian-French citizenship. Georgia's constitution bars individuals with dual citizenship from serving as the nation's president, prime minister, or parliament speaker.
Zurabishvili told journalists that the commission's decision is politically motivated, as some political circles in the country do not want to see her as a presidential candidate. She said she plans to sue the election commission.
Candidates of the United National Movement of outgoing President Mikheil Saakashvili and the Georgian Dream political bloc of Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili are expected to be major rivals in the October 27 poll.