The modern history of parliamentarism in Georgia begins with the independent Georgian Parliament called National Council (1918-1921). Although the idea of creating a representative body, kind of King’s council was conceived in the 12th century during the reign of Queen Tamar – the first Georgian female monarch. Qutlu Arslan (a Georgian Simon de Montfort) and his adherents demanded to restrict the rights of “Darbazi” – the supreme consultative body of the King and to found a new legislative institution – “Karavi”.
On 26 May 1918, the National Council of Georgia adopted the Declaration of independence. On 22 November of the same year, the National Council of the Republic of Georgia approved the electoral regulations of the Constituent Assembly which stipulated election of 130 members of the Assembly by a universal, direct, equal and secret vote on the basis of proportional representation. In February of 1919 the 130 member Constituent Assembly was elected strictly following the key principles of free, equal, direct and secret suffrage.
On March 12, 1918 the first sitting of Constituent Assembly proclaimed the Act of Independence of Georgia adopted on 26 May, 1919. On February 21, 1921 the Parliament adopted the first Georgian Constitution that remained in force only for 4 days, as on February 25 Georgia was occupied by Russia.
During the Soviet regime Georgia, like all other socialist republics neglected a doctrine of separation of power. It avoided using a term “parliament.” Its socialist representative body consisted of two chambers: Congress of Peoples’ Deputies and High Council, which was elected from among the members of lower chamber.

On 28 October 1990, the democratic, multiparty elections of second parliament of Georgia were held in Georgia. On 31 March 1991, Georgia held a nationwide referendum on independence. The only question asked was whether population supported restoration of independence in accordance with the 26 May, 1918 Act of Declaration of Independence of Georgia. 90, 3% of Georgian population participated in the referendum and 98,9% gave a positive answer. On the basis of the results of referendum, Parliament adopted the Act of the Independence of Georgia on 9 April, 1991.
After the 1991-1992 coup d’état, the power was taken by a provisional Military Council of the Republic of Georgia. In February 1992 the Military Council transferred the power to the State Council of the Republic of Georgia. However, the power needed legitimization and new parliamentary elections were scheduled for autumn of 1992. All active political parties participated in the elections.
The fourth parliament of Georgia was elected on 5 November, 1995. The right of participation in the elections had those political parties and units, which could submit 50 thousand signatures of their supporters to the electoral commission, or which had their representative at the Parliament by the adoption of the constitution. In accordance with the constitution and electoral legislation, 150 MPs were elected through party list proportional representation and 85 MPs - through “first past the post” (majoritarian) system.
Elections of the fifth parliament were held on 31 October, 1999. The number of MPs remained 235. 150 MPs were elected through party list proportional representation and 85 MPs - through “first past the post” (majoritarian) system.
The sixth parliament of Georgia was elected by the same electoral system on 2 November, 2003. However, Georgian population protested the flawed results of the elections and staged what was later called a Rose Revolution after that the results of elections conducted with a proportional system on 2 November, were abolished.
On 28 March of 2004, the parliamentary elections with a proportional electoral system were conducted again.
The seventh parliament of Georgia was elected on 21 May, 2008 with reduced number of MPs, namely 150 MPs. The number was determined by the results of the referendum.
The eighth parliament of Georgia was elected on 2 October of 2012.