Constituent Assembly of Georgia

The Constituent Assembly of Georgia was the elected national legislature of the Democratic Republic of Georgia, the short-lived independent Georgian republic established in 1918 after the collapse of the Russian Empire. Its principal constitutional role was to confirm the republic’s independence, legislate during the first years of statehood, and prepare a permanent constitution. The Assembly emerged from a transition that began with the Georgian National Council. Georgia first became part of the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic in April 1918 and then declared itself an independent republic on 26 May 1918. The National Council, which had adopted the Act of Independence, functioned provisionally as a parliament while preparations were made for nationwide elections. Free and direct elections took place from 14 to 17 February 1919. Fifteen political parties competed for 130 seats. The Social-Democratic Party, associated with the Menshevik movement, won a dominant 109 seats. The National Democratic Party and the Social-Federalist Party each won eight, while the Socialist-Revolutionary Party won five; additional parliamentary groupings included the National Party and Dashnaktsutiun. The election also produced an unusually significant level of female representation for the period: five women were elected, all on the Social-Democratic ticket. They were Anna Sologashvili, Elisabeth Nakashidze-Bolkvadze, Kristine Sharashidze, Eleonora Ter-Parsegova-Makhviladze, and Minadora Orjonikidze-Toroshelidze. Nikolay Chkheidze became president of the Assembly. Ekvtime Takhaishvili, Samson Pirtskhalava, and Simon Mdivani served as vice-presidents. On 21 March 1919, the Assembly selected Noe Zhordania as head of government, after which he formed a new cabinet. The institution combined constituent, legislative, and oversight functions in a state facing severe internal and external pressures, including the Russian Civil War, unsettled borders, ethnic and political tensions, and the need to build administrative institutions rapidly. During roughly two years of activity, the Assembly adopted 126 laws and regulations. Its work covered citizenship, local government elections, national defense, agriculture, courts and legal administration, ethnic-minority arrangements, public education, taxation and monetary policy, railways, trade, and domestic production. In July 1919 it created a Senate whose members were to be elected by the legislature. The Senate was conceived as a supervisory and appellate institution: it was expected to defend the rule of law, review complaints concerning courts, and invalidate government measures that contradicted the law. The Assembly’s constitutional project culminated in Georgia’s first constitution. The document was adopted on 21 February 1921, while Soviet Russian forces were attacking the outskirts of Tbilisi. The military intervention made implementation difficult and ultimately prevented the new constitutional order from operating normally. On 25 February, as Tbilisi fell, the Assembly evacuated first to Kutaisi and then to Batumi. It held its last meeting there on 21 March 1921 and instructed the government to leave the country. On 24 March, the Bolshevik Revolutionary Committee of Georgia declared the Assembly dissolved. The Soviet takeover ended the Democratic Republic of Georgia’s independent parliamentary experiment, and a number of former Assembly members were later imprisoned or executed during communist repression.

The Assembly’s origins lay in Georgia’s political separation from the Russian imperial system after the 1917 Revolution. Georgia participated briefly in a Transcaucasian federation before declaring independence on 26 May 1918. The Georgian National Council, which had adopted the Act of Independence, initially served as a provisional parliamentary institution and prepared the country’s first general legislative election. The February 1919 election was conducted by direct vote and involved fifteen parties. The resulting 130-member Assembly was overwhelmingly Social-Democratic, but it also included National Democratic, Social-Federalist, Socialist-Revolutionary, National Party, and Dashnaktsutiun groupings. Five women won seats, representing a notable feature of the republic’s parliamentary experiment. Nikolay Chkheidze presided over the chamber, with Ekvtime Takhaishvili, Samson Pirtskhalava, and Simon Mdivani as vice-presidents. The legislature’s mandate extended beyond ordinary lawmaking. It was expected to ratify the independence settlement, construct the legal framework of the new republic, and prepare a constitution. It enacted 126 measures dealing with state administration, citizenship, local elections, defense, agriculture, courts, minority rights, education, public finance, railways, trade, and production. In July 1919 it also established a Senate intended to supervise legality and act as an appellate body. The Assembly operated amid war-related insecurity and unresolved foreign relations. Although its legislation expressed a comparatively progressive constitutional and social program, the government could not fully apply every measure before the republic was invaded. The constitution was adopted on 21 February 1921, while Soviet troops were pressing toward Tbilisi. After the capital was evacuated on 25 February, the Assembly moved to Kutaisi and then Batumi. Its final meeting took place on 21 March, when it directed the government to leave the country. Three days later, the Georgian Revolutionary Committee established by the victorious Bolsheviks dissolved the institution. Subsequent Soviet repression targeted members of the former legislature, with some imprisoned or executed.

• 1921

  First Georgian constitution adopted

  [1]Constituent Assembly of Georgiaen.wikipedia.org

  The Assembly adopted the republic’s first constitution on 21 February during the Soviet military advance.

• 1921

  Assembly dissolved

  [1]Constituent Assembly of Georgiaen.wikipedia.org

  Following the evacuation of the republican government, the Georgian Revolutionary Committee dissolved the Assembly on 24 March.

• 1919

  Constituent Assembly elected

  [1]Constituent Assembly of Georgiaen.wikipedia.org

  Direct elections held from 14 to 17 February produced a 130-seat national legislature.

• 1919

  Noe Zhordania becomes head of government

  [1]Constituent Assembly of Georgiaen.wikipedia.org

  The Assembly selected Noe Zhordania on 21 March and enabled the formation of a new cabinet.

• 1919

  Senate established

  [1]Constituent Assembly of Georgiaen.wikipedia.org

  In July, the Assembly created a Senate to supervise compliance with law and hear appeals and complaints involving courts and government decisions.

• 1918

  Georgia declares independence

  [1]Constituent Assembly of Georgiaen.wikipedia.org

  The Georgian National Council adopted the Act of Independence on 26 May, creating the political foundation for a permanent elected legislature.

A representative constitutional legislature and institution-building body of the Democratic Republic of Georgia.

• 1921

  Adoption of the Constitution of GeorgiaOther

  Background

  The Assembly had spent its tenure developing a permanent constitutional framework for the Democratic Republic of Georgia.

  Action taken

  It adopted Georgia’s first constitution on 21 February 1921.

  Aftermath

  The Soviet invasion prevented the constitution from being implemented under normal independent-government conditions.

  Source

• 1919

  Creation of a SenateOther

  Background

  The new republic required an institution capable of reviewing legality and supervising public authorities.

  Action taken

  In July 1919, the Assembly established a Senate whose members were to be elected by the legislature.

  Aftermath

  The Senate was intended to function as an appellate and legal-oversight body, including authority to challenge government decisions contrary to law.

  Source

1. 1Constituent Assembly of Georgiaen.wikipedia.org