On October 26, over 2 million Georgian citizens cast their votes in the parliamentary elections, accounting for 58.94% of the total electorate. With almost 100% of precincts counted, official results published by the Central Election Commission show the ruling Georgian Dream party winning parliamentary elections with 53.92% of the vote, while the combined share of four opposition coalitions that passed the election threshold totals 37.78%.
All four opposition parties that surpassed the 5% threshold rejected the official election results, claiming that the elections were rigged both on election day and beforehand. Two of the four opposition parties – Coalition for Change and Unity – United National Movement announced that they are renouncing their MP mandates. “We renounce our parliamentary mandates,” said Nana Malashkhia, the “woman with the EU flag,” from Coalition for Change.
At a special briefing, President Salome Zurabishvili also refused to recognize the election results that gave victory to the GD and called on citizens to gather on October 28 on Rustaveli Avenue, near the parliament, to show the world that Georgians do not recognize the election results. Surrounded by leaders of opposition political parties, Zurabishvili described the elections as a “total fraud” and a “total robbery” of votes. “We were witnesses and victims of a Russian special operation,” she said.
International Election Observation Mission (IEOM) issued its Preliminary Findings and Conclusions on the October 26 Parliamentary elections, saying that elections “unfolded amid entrenched polarization in an environment marred by concerns over recently adopted legislation, its impact on fundamental freedoms and civil society.” While “contestants could generally campaign freely “reports of pressure on voters, particularly on public sector employees, remained widespread in the campaign,” reads the preliminary findings of the IEOM.
A local election watchdog, the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED), also issued a closing statement on election day observation, indicating that the results of the parliamentary elections may not accurately reflect the will of the Georgian voters. According to ISFED, the results of ISFED’s Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT), “are in line with the results announced by the Central Election Commission.” However, ISFED notes that “the violations of a fundamental nature observed on election day influenced the expression of the free will of the voters.”
U.S. Helsinki Commission Chairman Rep. Joe Wilson issued a statement on October 27 calling on the U.S. State Department to investigate the allegations of fraud and Russian interference in the October 26 Parliamentary elections in Georgia. “I am troubled by the credible allegations of systematic violations in the Georgian parliamentary election. I am also disturbed by the well-documented efforts by Russia to sway the election. As such, I call on the U.S. Department of State to carefully examine the allegations of fraud, and if determined that this is the case, to make a clear statement to that effect,” Wilson said in a statement.
Senior European parliamentarians, along with their Canadian counterparts, issued a joint statement declaring that “the elections were neither free nor fair” and that “the European Union cannot recognize the results.” The MPs are calling for sanctions against “those responsible for unfair electoral influence, intimidation, and threats against the opposition and civil society.”
Foreign Ministers of European countries, EU officials, and members of the European Parliament reacted to the Parliamentary Elections held on Saturday, raising concerns about serious irregularities, pressure, and an uneven playing field, further calling on authorities for investigation. Meanwhile, the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Hungary congratulated Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on the Georgian Dream‘s victory in the parliamentary elections. More on international reactions to the election results can be found here.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban is scheduled to visit Tbilisi on 28 October, according to the Georgian government administration. The visit will last for two days, Oct. 28-29. PM Orban will be accompanied by a delegation of Hungarian ministers and officials. Hungary’s leader congratulated the ruling party on its alleged victory at a time when even preliminary results had not been announced and only conflicting exit polls were out.