Georgia's Parliamentary Elections: A Setback for Opposition and a Victory for the Ruling Party
The recent parliamentary elections in Georgia have resulted in a significant win for the ruling party, Georgian Dream, which has maintained its power since 2012. According to the electoral commission's announcement on October 27, the party, led by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, secured 54.08% of the votes, with a turnout of 58%. This overwhelming victory allows Georgian Dream to establish a new government, raising concerns about the country's trajectory towards closer ties with Russia.
The election results, which were delayed initially due to the new electronic voting and counting system, were finalized on Sunday morning after all ballots, both electronic and paper, were hand-counted. Despite the smooth process, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, an associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a key ally within the European Union (EU), praised the ruling party's success early on.
The opposition is left grappling with disappointment, having garnered only 37.58% of the total votes with four parties contesting the elections. Their inability to form the pro-European coalition government they envisioned has led to fears that the Georgian Dream’s inherently pro-Russian stance will hinder the nation's aspirations for EU membership. A controversial law on foreign influence introduced in June has drawn severe criticism from Brussels and is viewed as a major impediment to Georgia's integration into European structures.
Tensions surrounding the elections escalated as both Nika Gvaramia's Coalition for Change and the United National Movement (UNM), founded by former president Mikheil Saakashvili, declared their intent to contest the results. Gvaramia's group emerged as the leading opposition party with 10.92% of the votes, surpassing UNM which received 10.12% of the vote under the Unity-Saving Georgia coalition banner.
As protests loom, the political landscape of Georgia seems poised for turbulence. Throughout the electoral process, approximately 30% of the votes remained uncounted late into Saturday evening—these included ballots from Georgians abroad and votes from remote regions where electronic voting was not feasible.
The introduction of electronic voting in Georgia marks a historic shift for a country that has previously faced numerous allegations of electoral fraud and manipulation. The electoral commission, alongside all participating parties, vetted the system as reliable, but the validity of the results will now be put to the test in the political arena.
With Ivanishvili’s government aligned closely with Russian interests, analysts fear that this election may not just be an opportunity for governance, but a harbinger of survival for Georgia’s pro-European factions. The opposition's next steps in response to these developments will be critical, as they seek to rally public support and contest the ruling party's policies.
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