The opposition claims that the Georgian Dream party has executed a constitutional coup after obtaining 54% of the votes, with 99% of precincts reported.
The electoral commission announced early Sunday that the ruling party in Georgia has secured victory in the parliamentary elections, dealing a setback to the nation’s longstanding goal of joining the European Union.
The opposition in Georgia refused to concede, alleging that the governing party has orchestrated a constitutional coup. They pledged to organize protests, which could lead to a political crisis and deepen divisions within the Caucasus nation.
The commission announced that the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party secured 54 votes, having counted over 99 precincts.
The outcome for GD would undermine the opposition’s ambitions of forming a pro-Western coalition of four groups and significantly hinder the nation’s goals for EU integration.
On Saturday, citizens of the nearly 4 million-strong nation participated in a pivotal election to determine if the ruling GD party, which has been in control since 2012 and has shifted the country towards conservatism and away from Western influences while aligning more closely with Russia, will be granted another four-year term.
Bidzina Ivanishvili, the enigmatic billionaire who established the Georgian Dream (GD) party, declared triumph soon after the voting ended, in what is regarded as the most significant election since Georgia gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
Ivanishvili, often regarded as the most influential person in Georgia, remarked that it is uncommon for a single party to attain such remarkable success in challenging circumstances. This serves as a strong testament to the abilities of the Georgian populace.
During a press conference held late Saturday, the heads of the opposition coalition described the election outcomes as a constitutional coup.
The Georgian people’s triumph was taken away from them. Tinatin Bokuchava, head of the largest opposition party, the United National Movement (UNM), declared that we reject the outcomes of these rigged elections.
The opposition in Georgia has charged the GD party with utilizing state resources during the elections. This broad accusation encompasses tactics such as coercing government workers to cast their votes and providing monetary incentives to predominantly rural constituents.
My Vote, an organization comprising 2,000 election monitors, expressed skepticism about the preliminary results, asserting that they do not accurately represent the desires of the Georgian populace due to widespread voter fraud and violence.
On Saturday morning, multiple videos emerged on the internet that seemed to depict instances of ballot stuffing and intimidation of voters at different polling places throughout Georgia.
As voting commenced, Bokuchava, the leader of UNM, stated that Bidzina Ivanishvili and his associates are increasingly anxious to maintain their grip on power and are willing to take any measures necessary to undermine the electoral process.
Over the last thirty years, Georgia has consistently pursued a pro-Western agenda, with surveys indicating that as many as 80% of its citizens support EU membership. Nonetheless, in recent times, the government under the populist Georgian Dream party has shown a growing inclination to pivot away from Western alliances towards Russia, demonstrating hesitance in denouncing Moscow’s actions regarding its invasion of Ukraine.
Critics have also charged the GD with intentions to steer the nation toward authoritarianism, following Ivanishvili’s promise to outlaw the major opposition parties and expel opposition legislators should his party secure re-election.
Numerous observers anticipated that GD would emerge as the largest party; however, they believed it could lack a majority and face difficulties in establishing a government, given that all other factions were unwilling to partner with it.
The governing GD was confronted with an extraordinary alliance of four pro-Western opposition groups that pledged to create a coalition government aimed at removing it from power and steering Georgia back towards EU membership.
The primary opposing party is the center-right UNM, established by Mikheil Saakashvili, the ex-president currently incarcerated for alleged power abuse, which his supporters claim is driven by political motives.
GD has based its campaign on claims that the pro-western opposition is attempting to drag Georgia into a conflict similar to that of Ukraine. In 2008, Georgia engaged in a brief five-day war with Russia, which resulted in lasting trauma. The ongoing situation in Ukraine has caused some Georgians to be cautious about the potential repercussions of antagonizing Russia through closer ties with the West.
On Saturday evening, it appeared that the electorate in Tbilisi was split regarding the direction the nation should take moving forward.
As voting commenced, Bokuchava, the leader of the UNM, stated that Bidzina Ivanishvili’s associates are willing to do whatever it takes to maintain their grip on power and undermine the electoral process.
Over the last thirty years, Georgia has consistently pursued a pro-Western agenda, with surveys indicating that as many as 80% of its citizens support EU membership. Nevertheless, in recent times, the government, under the leadership of the populist GD party, has gradually moved away from Western alignment and leaned towards Russia, exhibiting hesitance to criticize Moscow regarding its actions in Ukraine.
Critics have also charged the GD with intentions to steer the nation towards authoritarianism, following Ivanishvili’s pledge to outlaw all major opposition parties and expel opposition lawmakers should his party secure re-election.
Many expected that GD would become the biggest party but might fall short of a majority and struggle to form a government, with all other blocs refusing to collaborate with it.
The governing GD was confronted with an extraordinary alliance of four pro-Western opposition groups that pledged to collaborate in establishing a coalition government aimed at removing it from authority and steering Georgia towards EU membership once again.
The primary opposing party is the center-right UNM, established by Mikheil Saakashvili, the ex-president currently incarcerated for alleged abuse of power, a claim his supporters assert is driven by political motives.
GD has based its campaign on claims that the pro-western opposition aims to drag Georgia into a conflict similar to that of Ukraine. The five-day war with Russia in 2008 has left lasting wounds, and the ongoing invasion of Ukraine has made many in Georgia apprehensive about the repercussions of antagonizing Russia by aligning more closely with Western nations.
On Saturday evening, it appeared that the electorate in Tbilisi was split regarding the direction of the nation’s future.
We’ve lost our nation today, expressed Ana Machaidze, a 25-year-old student. I’m uncertain about my next steps. I wish we could protest, but if things don’t go well, I might consider moving overseas, she continued.
Urban and younger voters typically back pro-Western opposition groups, as they see their political future aligned with the European Union.
Irakli Shengelia, a 56-year-old employed in the restaurant industry, expressed his satisfaction that the Georgian Dream party would continue to govern. He believes that their leadership ensures tranquility and stability in relations with Russia while aligning with his conservative principles.
The Georgian government, closely connected to the powerful and traditional Orthodox Church, has aimed to rally support against liberal ideals by promoting family values and denouncing what it views as the excesses of the West.
During the summer, lawmakers approved a set of extensive laws that significantly limit LGBTQ rights. Detractors argue that this action resembles the legislation introduced in nearby Russia, where government officials have enforced numerous oppressive policies targeting sexual minorities.
The outcomes will be carefully observed in both Moscow and Brussels, as the EU has stated that the election will influence Tbilisi’s chances of becoming a member of the union.
Last year, the European Union awarded Georgia candidate status for membership; however, it has paused the application process due to a contentious foreign agents law enacted in May. This law mandates that media organizations and NGOs that receive over 20% of their funding from foreign sources must register as foreign influence agents.
Critics have dubbed the bill a Russian law, drawing parallels to a similar measure introduced by the Kremlin ten years ago aimed at stifling political dissent in the media and other areas. This legislation sparked weeks of widespread protests during the spring.