Tbilisi, Georgia — The Georgian opposition has announced a major rally for Monday, urging followers to take to the streets to contest what they call a fraudulent election that handed victory to the ruling Georgian Dream party.
Speaking alongside opposition leaders at the presidential palace, President Salome Zourabichvili called the vote “totally falsified.”
The preliminary results, with 99% of precincts reporting, showed the ruling Georgian Dream leading with 53.9%. The Coalition for Changes had 11.3%, Unity-National Movement secured 9.83%, Strong Georgia gathered 10.1%, and Giorgi Gakharia’s For Georgia party garnered 7.7%. Other minor parties took the remaining vote.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, who is a member of Georgian Dream, on Sunday described his party’s victory as “impressive and obvious,” and said “any attempts to talk about election manipulation … are doomed to failure.”
Georgian Dream, now headed for a fourth term in office, will take 89 seats in parliament, one less than it secured in 2020, the commission said, with four pro-Western opposition parties receiving 61 seats in total.
However, the opposition claims the election was rigged. Western countries have expressed concerns, describing the results as a setback for Georgia’s democracy and a worrying shift toward Moscow.
“There is overwhelming evidence provided by international observers and local NGOs indicating that this election was neither free nor fair,” Elene Khoshtaria of the Coalition for Change, told VOA.
“Secondly, there is a stark contradiction between the international exit polls and the official election results. And thirdly, there is a clear rejection by the people, which will be evident at tomorrow’s demonstration, that we will not accept Russian-style, manipulated election results,” Khoshtaria added.
Tina Bokuchava, leader of the Unity-National Movement, told VOA, “We are not going to accept the results of these falsified elections.
“We believe the [voting] verification machines were used for duplicate voting, among other methods. Additionally, the environment leading up to the election was marred by intimidation, vote-buying, confiscation of IDs, and pressure tactics,” Bokuchava said. “These actions either prevented many people from voting altogether or forced them to vote under such intense pressure that it doesn’t truly reflect the free will of the people as it should be expressed at the ballot box.”
In a significant move, three of the four main opposition parties have declared they will not take their seats in parliament, refusing to legitimize what they describe as a stolen election.
Mamuka Mdinaradze, executive secretary of Georgian Dream, responded to the opposition’s decision to forgo parliamentary mandates, saying, “If they say they won’t enter parliament, then let them stay out. We will continue working for our homeland and prevent any sabotage of our country by agents.”
President Zourabichvili, standing beside leaders of the major opposition parties, except Gakharia’s For Georgia, said, “I do not recognize these elections. Acknowledging these results is akin to accepting Russia’s control over Georgia.”
“No one can take away Georgia’s European future,” she said.
The OSCE election watchdog, ODIHR, noted “numerous irregularities” and highlighted an election environment affected by the controversial “foreign agent” law adopted in June, which impacted freedoms.
“Contestants could generally campaign freely,” the OSCE said in its preliminary findings report, while also noting “reports of pressure on voters, particularly on public sector employees, remained widespread in the campaign.”
The ODIHR report further stated that the election “unfolded amid entrenched polarization in an environment marred by concerns over recently adopted legislation, its impact on fundamental freedoms and civil society.”
International response
The European Union voiced its concerns, with EU High Representative Josep Borrell urging Georgian authorities to investigate electoral irregularities.
“We urge the Georgian authorities to conduct a transparent investigation into all allegations of electoral irregularities,” Borrell said.
European Council President Charles Michel said the EU is planning to put Georgia on the agenda during its next meeting.
“These alleged irregularities must be seriously clarified and addressed. We reiterate the EU’s call to the Georgian leadership to demonstrate its firm commitment to the country’s EU path,” Michel added.
Georgia received candidate status of the EU last December.
Foreign Ministers of Germany, Norway, Latvia, Poland, France and Sweden also expressed concern over reported intimidation and manipulation, calling for steps to restore trust in the electoral process and uphold democratic principles.
On Sunday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a statement praised Georgia’s “vibrant democracy.” However, regarding Saturday’s vote, “international and local observers noted a pre-election environment marked by the ruling party’s misuse of public resources, vote buying, and voter intimidation, all of which contributed to an uneven playing field and undermined public and international trust in the possibility of a fair outcome,” he said.
“While international and local observers agreed that Election Day was generally well administered, we note reports of irregularities and sporadic violence. International observers have not declared the result to be free and fair. We condemn all contraventions of international norms and join calls from international and local observers for a full investigation of all reports of election-related violations,” Blinken said.
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova responded to Zourabichvili’s statement on her Telegram channel, saying, “As long as countries and nations think independently and do not unquestioningly follow the orders of their Washington curators, they have a future.”
The election took place amid an atmosphere many described as tense and filled with fear.
Led by Russian-backed businessman Bidzina Ivanishvili, Georgian Dream has created a powerful electoral machine that relies on state resources and budget incentives to secure votes, observers say. The party’s core supporters include “budget voters,” public sector workers and social assistance recipients, especially in rural areas where employment options are limited. The party relies on these voters, many of whom fear the loss of a job or benefits if the party loses.
The campaign strategy of Georgian Dream was centered around the theme of stability versus conflict, portraying the opposition and their Western supporters as part of a “global war party.” This narrative played into the deep-seated fear of war among Georgians — a country that has endured conflicts with Russia multiple times, most recently in 2008.
The opposition, meanwhile, asserted that a vote for the ruling party, was a vote for Russia.
“The fear of war played a significant role,” Lasha Bakradze from Unity-National Movement told VOA. “Georgian Dream effectively instilled the language of hatred and fear. Unfortunately, we thought avoiding this narrative was the right approach, as it seemed absurd that anyone in Georgia would want war, but it turned out to be a miscalculation.”
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