Georgian opposition calls for new elections after rejecting election results

The political tension following the parliamentary elections held in Georgia on October 26 continues with large-scale protests in the capital Tbilisi. Opposition parties and their supporters gathered in front of the parliament building and once again strongly stated that they did not accept the election results. The protesters tried to attract the attention of the international community by waving Georgian, Ukrainian, and European Union (EU) flags.

The opposition, which does not recognize the victory of the ruling Georgian Dream Party, which was declared the winner by the Georgian Central Election Commission, is demanding that the elections be re-held. In particular, representatives of the parties that passed the 5 percent threshold made harsh criticisms of the government during the protests. Giorgi Vashadze, one of the leaders of the “Unity to Save Georgia” bloc, emphasized in his speech that they do not accept the election results, saying, “These elections are fraudulent and do not reflect the will of the people. We want the elections to be re-held.” Vashadze stated that if their demands are not met, they will continue to hold demonstrations throughout the country.

Nika Melia, one of the leaders of the “Coalition for Change” bloc, took a more determined stance, stating that they will not allow the new parliament to convene and that the protests will continue in different places. Melia said, “This struggle is a war for the democratic future of Georgia. We will not allow the new parliament to convene and we will not step back on this path.”

Following the protests at the parliament building, demonstrators marched on Shota Rustaveli Avenue, one of the main streets of Tbilisi. During this march, some roads were temporarily closed to traffic. The march of the demonstrators, shouting their democratic demands, caused tense moments in the city. Opposition parties announced that the protests would continue the next day.

According to the Georgian constitution, the new parliament must convene within 10 days after the Central Election Commission publishes the summary election protocol. However, the results of the parliamentary elections show that the Georgian Dream Party will have 89 seats in the 150-seat parliament, while the opposition will have 61. While the need for 76 seats to form a single-party government strengthens the Georgian Dream Party’s hand, the opposition’s reaction makes it difficult for parliament to convene.

The Georgian Dream Party, which declared victory in the October 26 elections with 53.93 percent of the vote, rejected claims about the legitimacy of the elections, while the opposition stated that various pieces of evidence were presented that there was fraud. The “Coalition for Change” came in second with 11.03 percent of the vote, and the “Unity to Save Georgia” came in third with 10.16 percent of the vote.

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili hinted at fraud in the elections on October 27, saying, “Our country was faced with a new form of hybrid warfare. This was part of what can be described as a Russian special operation.” However, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze criticized the opposition, saying that the elections were held in a democratic environment and that those who did not accept the results were “seeking to create instability in the country.”

The Georgian Prosecutor’s Office announced on October 30 that it had launched an official investigation into allegations of election fraud. The investigation, which was launched at the request of the Central Election Commission in response to these allegations by President Zurabishvili and some opposition party leaders, envisages sharing evidence of fraud with the prosecutor’s office. Zurabishvili, however, did not accept the prosecutor’s invitation and reacted by saying, “I advise the prosecutor’s office to stop politically settling scores with the President and do its job.”