Georgia, a strategically-located republic in the Caucasus, entered a political crisis on Sunday following the ruling party's declaration of victory in a significant election, which the pro-Western opposition denounced as fraudulent and announced plans to boycott the new parliament.
This situation heightened the ongoing political conflict between the ruling party, Georgian Dream, which has governed for 12 years and shifted the country away from aspirations to join NATO and the European Union, and four opposition groups advocating for closer ties with the West.
European observers critiqued the election's conduct shortly after the results were announced, citing serious violations including violence against opposition members, voter intimidation, smear campaigns against observers, and the misuse of administrative resources. Zlatko Vujovic, head of the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations, characterized the election as “not good” and noted that the process did not meet expectations for a country with EU candidate status.
The Election Administration of Georgia reported that the ruling party received nearly 54 percent of the votes, while the four main opposition groups collected 37.5 percent. This outcome allows Georgian Dream to potentially secure up to 89 seats in Parliament, with the remaining 61 allocated to the opposition. The opposition groups collectively rejected the legitimacy of the election, citing substantial irregularities, and announced that two of them would not participate in Parliament, potentially leading to a prolonged political crisis.
In response to the election results, President Salome Zourabichvili denounced the election as “a total falsification” and suggested that Russia conducted a hybrid warfare operation against the Georgian people. She urged her supporters to protest on Monday night in Tbilisi, although the streets remained quiet, and no significant protests occurred.
While Zourabichvili and opposition leaders did not present specific evidence for their claims of widespread electoral misconduct, they pledged to provide such evidence. Meanwhile, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban congratulated Georgian Dream, indicating a support for its governance despite the EU's broader political context.
The previous parliamentary elections in Georgia resulted in a similar refusal by the opposition to accept the outcomes, leading to a prolonged political crisis that lasted over five months. However, the current ruling party appears resolute in moving forward with what it regards as a mandate from the electorate, showing little inclination towards European mediation.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze asserted that the election was conducted “flawlessly” and emphasized the legitimacy of the victory, dismissing allegations of electoral manipulation. The local election monitoring group ISFED stated that while its counts aligned with official results, significant flaws in both pre-election and election day processes limited voters’ ability to express their preferences freely.
Regional leaders from Armenia and Azerbaijan congratulated Georgian Dream, as did Russian officials, reflecting the varying international responses to the election outcome.