(Read the full article on civil.ge)

Tamar Zhvania, Chair of Central Election Commission (CEC) has announced the decision to resign, starting from July 1, citing “new realities” of the April 19 EU-brokered deal, CIVIL.GE reported.

She said her move will allow the political parties to elect the new chair under the recently amended election code, as part of a wider political compromise.

Under the election legislation, now President Salome Zurabishvili has two days to announce a competition for a new candidate. The nominee must then be appointed by 2/3 of votes in the Parliament to serve a five-year term.

An anti-deadlock mechanism for electing the CEC chair says the first two voting attempts require the 2/3 majority, the third attempt requires 3/5 and subsequent attempts need only a simple majority. If elected this way, however, the Chairperson will only serve a temporary six-month term.

Zhvania was appointed as the CEC Chair in 2013 and then re-elected for a five-year term in 2018.