PD and PS return to electoral reform talks, but without an agreement on the agenda

After a hiatus of several months, the Special Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reform will meet on Monday. The Socialist Party and the Democratic Party are expected to face each other once again at the negotiating table, while the sides have still not reached agreement on the work agenda. The meeting is taking place as the capital has been gripped by protests involving Molotov cocktails and fire over the weekend, which are expected to continue.

According to sources from the Democratic Party headquarters, the agenda has been set by the Socialists. They aim to complete the legal framework for local elections following approval of the new territorial division, which organizes the country into 46 municipalities.

The committee is scheduled to address on Monday the obligations arising from the legislation on local self-government as part of the electoral reform. It will also continue reviewing the tasks left outstanding for the draft law “On the Financing of Political Parties” and other unresolved issues related to the reform.

Oerd Bylykbashi, the committee’s co-chair, has requested that the discussions focus on the recommendations of the OSCE/ODIHR. According to him, the reform must ensure the separation of the state from the ruling party.

Regarding the future electoral system, the Democratic Party is calling for fully open lists, including for elections to municipal councils. The Socialist Party has expressed its willingness to discuss the system, but is demanding that the constitutional amendments also include reducing the number of lawmakers from 140 to 101.

The committee is jointly chaired by Oerd Bylykbashi of the Democratic Party and Damian Gjiknuri of the Socialist Party. Its mandate ends at the end of November.