Georgia’s Ruling Party Claims Victory in Divisive Elections

(Bloomberg) -- Georgia’s ruling party declared victory in parliamentary elections that opponents said were rigged, with international observers highlighting several shortcomings they said marred the outcome and the country’s president saying she refused to accept it.

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Georgian Dream, led by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, received about 54% of the vote, the election commission said. The party’s four main rivals, which have pledged to support a pro-European Union charter drawn up by President Salome Zourabichvili, all crossed the threshold to qualify for parliament and jointly held about 37% of the vote share.

Zourabichvili’s condemnation of the results is largely symbolic because the president in Georgia lacks power over domestic policy.

“This was complete falsification, a full-scale theft of your votes,” she said Sunday at a news conference. “Nothing like this has ever happened before — they took away our right to fair elections; it was a Russian-style election.”

Zourabichvili’s remarks followed consultations with three opposition coalitions that had surpassed the threshold. All refused to accept their parliamentary mandates and they called on supporters to protest the vote on Monday.

Tensions have increased in the Caucasus republic of 4 million people after Georgian Dream passed legislation that the US and the EU have labeled as “Kremlin-inspired.” The government ignored mass protests in May and adopted a “foreign agent” law that targeted non-governmental organizations and independent media. Washington responded by ordering a comprehensive review of US cooperation with the government in Tbilisi. Brussels halted EU membership negotiations and urged the authorities to reverse course.

While the election report from observers didn’t challenge the result, it raised concerns about an uneven campaign playing field, as well as pressure on some voters.

“Imbalances in financial resources, a divisive campaign atmosphere, and recent legislative amendments were of significant concern throughout this election process,” Pascal Allizard, the head of the short-term observer mission from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, said. Yet there are signs “of a system that is still growing and evolving, with a democratic vitality under construction.”

At the same time voters were “offered wide choice” and found “the legal framework to be adequate for holding democratic elections, according to a joint statement produced by several organizations including OSCE, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

There were also “reports of intimidation, coercion and pressure on voters, particularly on public sector employees and other groups,” they said.

Outgoing European Council head Charles Michel said on X that alleged irregularities should be “seriously clarified and addressed.” Hungarian Premier Viktor Orban, who holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, was quick to congratulate Georgian Dream. He’s planning a trip to Georgia as soon as Monday, according to people familiar with the matter.

Exit polls on Saturday had shown contrasting results, with the pro-government broadcaster Imedi TV claiming that Georgian Dream was set to extend its 12 years in power, while the opposition-backing Mtavari TV reported that the ruling party’s rivals had received the 80 mandates needed for a majority.

“We are not going to accept these results — the vote was stolen and hijacked. We will fight like never before to make sure the European future is back,” Tina Bokuchava, the opposition United National Movement leader, said. “Exit polls conducted by reputable agencies from Western countries clearly showed that the opposition coalition was leading — the central election commission simply did the job for the ruling party and its leader Ivanishvili.”

Georgian Dream members were confident enough to declare victory after the first official results were announced. Ivanishvili told crowds at the party headquarters late Saturday that it’s “rare that after 12 years the government has the same trust” from society.

“I want to thank our people,” he said. “We won’t let you down.”

Alleged violations at some polling stations across the country and abroad that were reported by observers, authorities and the opposition are being investigated.

The “election day took place against a backdrop of serious and substantial violations,” said Londa Toloraia, spokesperson for Your Voice to the European Union, a coalition of 2,000 election observers.

Zourabichvili has rallied opposition forces behind her charter after clashing repeatedly with Georgian Dream over its laws. The ruling party last month also passed legislation banning “LGBT propaganda” that outlaws portrayals of same-sex relationships in films, television and advertising, prevents the registration of same-sex marriages and makes it illegal for non-heterosexual couples to adopt children. Georgian Dream has also pledged to ban opposition parties if it wins a majority.

In September, Zourabichvili called the election a “turning point” that would “determine whether our future will be Europe or whether we’ll be under the influence of Russia.”

Ivanishvili has alleged that a “global war party” in the West is plotting to oust the government using NGOs and to push Georgia into a conflict with Russia.

The four main opposition groups are Unity — To Save Georgia, which includes members of the former United National Movement that ruled the country after the pro-Western Rose Revolution of 2003; the Coalition for Change, which also has ex-UNM leaders; the Strong Georgia alliance; and For Georgia, a party headed by ex-prime minister Giorgi Gakharia.

A total of 18 parties and coalitions were on the ballot competing for representation in the 150-seat parliament. Results show Georgian Dream lost the vote at overseas polling stations and in major cities at home, but dominated in rural areas of the country, where most allegations of irregularities were made, according to the opposition.

“Despite the reports of irregularities, it does seem that Georgian Dream’s efforts to play on fears of war and loss of Georgian identity to European integration resonated with many voters”, said Olga Oliker from the Brussels-based International Crisis Group, which works to resolve conflicts.

--With assistance from Yuliya Fedorinova.

(Updates with president’s reaction starting in first paragraph.)

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