Georgia's ruling party wins election against pro-EU opposition

Georgia’s ruling party won the country’s general elections, defeating pro-EU and pro-Western opposition.

Central Election Commission (CEC) decision Georgian The Dream Party, which has been in power for 12 years, received 54 percent of the votes, with more than 99 percent of the districts counted.

Both the Georgian Dream and the opposition blocs seeking to end their time in power portrayed the vote as an existential choice between moving westward (possibly joining Georgia). European Union – or tightening ties with its regionally dominant neighbour, Russia.

Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of Georgian Dream and a billionaire who made his fortune in Russia, accused the opposition parties of being “agents of a foreign country who will only carry out the duties of a foreign country” and suggested that the West wants Georgia to go away. To war with Russia.

He also promised to ban all pro-Western opposition groups if the party wins a constitutional majority.

Mr. Ivanishvili declared victory immediately after the polls closed, saying it was “rare in the world for the same party to be so successful in such a difficult situation.”

But pro-Western Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, who has regularly criticized the Georgian Dream, was among opposition leaders who declared victory when contested exit polls were announced, with some pushing the opposition ahead.

Ms. Zourabichvili previously wrote on

Photos of opposition leaders celebrating were also published, confirming their initial confidence.

There were reports of voting irregularities, and a video shared on social media on Saturday showed a man filling ballot papers into a box at a polling station in Marneuli.

The Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs launched an investigation and the CEC said a criminal case had been opened and all results from the ballot box would be deemed invalid.

John Sparks, Sky News’ international correspondent in the capital Tbilisi, called it a “stunning result” and predicted that many Georgians would find it “incredible”, as a widespread change of government was expected after 12 years in power.

Election was a ‘stunning result’ for Georgian Dream

John Sparks

international correspondent

@sparkomat

The outcome of the Georgian parliamentary elections is no longer in doubt; The country’s electoral commission declared the ruling party, Georgian Dream, the winner after counting more than 99% of the votes.

In many ways, this is a striking result for a party that has been in power for 12 years. The Georgian Dream increased its vote share while decisively moving the country away from Europe and closer to Russia.

Founder and leader Bidzina Ivanishvili turned to populist tactics with a series of controversial laws restricting the activities of media and civil rights groups. His party also passed an anti-LGBT bill to protect “family values and minors.”

Perhaps most influential was his decision to characterize the West as the “global war party” seeking to draw Georgia into a war against Russia.

Georgian Dream is still interested in joining the European Union; but officials say they can only participate “in a dignified manner.” The fact that the EU shows little interest in having them does not seem to phase Ivanishvili and co.

Viewed from across the political divide, the results of this election will seem incredible to many.

Leading opposition figures, including the country’s president, Salome Zourabishvili, accused the government of rigging the vote and called their supporters to the streets to protest the result.

Georgian Dream is accused of a number of crimes, including ballot box stuffing, intimidation and forcing officials to vote for them.

But mass protests and the assessments of international election observers currently reviewing the poll are unlikely to change the outcome.

Georgia can be expected to wait another four years under the current administration, and the fundamental nature of this country will certainly change.

Sparks said the result represented a stunning defeat for Ms. Zourabichvili, a French expatriate whose top priority was “restarting negotiations with the European Union,” while Mr. Ivanishvili had moved his party “from being overtly pro-Western to an organization.” “This is more suitable for Russia,” he said.

Brussels suspended the country’s membership process after Georgian Dream passed laws restricting freedom of expression in the South Caucasus country of 3.7 million people.

The largest opposition party, the United National Movement, said its headquarters was attacked on election day.

Georgian media also reported that two people were hospitalized after being attacked outside polling stations, one in the city of Zugdidi and the other in the town of Marneuli, south of Tbilisi.

Protests took place across the country after the result, with leading opposition figures including the country’s president, Salome Zourabishvili, urging supporters to take to the streets.