South Caucasus Republic: Georgia election: First results show the ruling party in the lead

In the parliamentary election in the South Caucasus Republic of Georgia, the previous ruling party Georgian Dream is ahead after 70 percent of the ballot papers were counted. The party founded by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili reportedly received around 53 percent of the votes counted, as the electoral commission in the capital Tbilisi announced in the evening. Forecasts had also seen the Georgian Dream as the strongest party. However, parts of the pro-European opposition in the heavily divided country initially claimed victory in the election. According to preliminary information from the electoral commission, voter turnout was around 59 percent.

The pro-European opposition was in several alliances, but is divided. The Unity electoral alliance, which also includes the United National Movement, the largest opposition party in the 2020 parliamentary election, received around 10 percent of the vote. The electoral alliance Coalition for Change is now the strongest opposition alliance with around 11 percent of the votes counted.

After the first forecasts were published by X, pro-European President Salome Zurabishwli, who is close to the opposition, said that the parties aspiring to join the EU had received 52 percent of the vote. “Georgia has shown democracy, Europeanness and maturity… I am proud and convinced of our European future!” she said.

Many expect that if the Georgian Dream is successful, they will move away from the EU

Many consider the success of the Georgian Dream, founded by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, to be the country’s move away from the EU towards more cooperation with its large neighbor Russia. Ivanishvili has become a billionaire through business in Russia. Around 3.5 million citizens at home and abroad were called to vote.

Georgia is a candidate for EU membership, but the process is on hold due to controversial laws. That is why pro-Western forces in particular spoke in advance of a choice of fate for the country, which is at a crossroads and in which both the influence of Russia and the West are strong.

Reports of individual violations

Local media reported individual incidents and conflicts at polling stations throughout the day. In the small town of Marneuli in the southeast of the country, a man threw in several ballot papers at a polling station, the central electoral commission said. The results at the polling station would not be counted, it was said. The opposition and the government blamed each other for the incident. The Interior Ministry initiated criminal proceedings.

Because of the polarized situation in the country and fears of election fraud, non-governmental organizations in particular deployed many observers to monitor the vote. Election law experts had already complained about misuse of state resources by the ruling party. Around 500 observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) are also on duty. They will give their verdict on the election this Sunday.

Opposition is fragmented – country divided

The opposition in the highly polarized country is divided. They are united by the pursuit of Europe. But the various parties had not managed to unite in advance to fight against the Georgian Dream. Almost a week before the election, tens of thousands demonstrated in Tbilisi for rapprochement with the EU. Young people in particular repeatedly express their desire for Georgia to become part of the EU. They want to receive visa freedom, study abroad and fear that human rights will be respected under the increasingly authoritarian leadership of the Georgian Dream, said students at the demonstration for Europe.

A few days later, tens of thousands were again on the streets of the capital, this time at a Georgian Dream rally. The party had organized buses to transport people from the country’s sometimes distant regions on the Black Sea to the capital.

Georgian dream fueled fears of war with Russia

During the election campaign, the Georgian Dream had fueled fears of a war with Russia if the opposition won. This could be seen, for example, in election posters in which photos of cities in Ukraine destroyed in the Russian war of aggression were juxtaposed with photos of intact buildings in Georgia. The Georgian Dream promised voters peace and stability.

Prime Minister Iraqi Kobachidze emphasized in the morning that the election was a referendum between war and peace. When he cast his vote in the morning, Ivanishvili also raised fears of a war into which foreign powers allegedly want to lead the country.

Ivanishvili blames former President Saakashvili’s party for the 2008 war with Russia. Moscow then recognized the breakaway Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states. Georgia lost 20 percent of its territory. Ivanishvili announced several times that he would ban the party if his Georgian Dream achieved a two-thirds majority in parliament in the election.

The EU only made Georgia a candidate for membership at the end of 2023. However, the process is on hold again due to the adoption of controversial laws. The EU accused the country’s leadership of taking an anti-European course. The government had implemented laws against massive protests, similar to those in Russia. This includes a law to control the financing of non-governmental organizations and media from abroad, which is intended to limit outside influence. The rights of homosexuals and other sexual minorities have also recently been curtailed – in the country where the Georgian Orthodox Church continues to have great influence.