Georgian President Calls for Protests Amid Election Disputes
TBILISI — Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has urged citizens to protest the results of Saturday’s parliamentary elections, where the ruling Georgian Dream party reportedly secured nearly 54% of the vote. The electoral commission’s announcement has been met with fierce opposition claims, alleging significant violations during the election process.
Zourabichvili, a former supporter of Georgian Dream, has sharply criticized the party, labeling the vote a “Russian special operation,” though she did not provide evidence of direct Russian involvement. She denounced the election results, stating, “It was a total fraud, a total taking away of your votes,” as she addressed the media with opposition leaders by her side.
The ruling party, now set for a fourth term, is expected to take 89 seats in parliament, a reduction from the previous election, while pro-Western opposition parties will collectively hold 61 seats. The contentious results have underscored a cultural divide, as many pro-Western voters viewed the election as a critical juncture between closer ties with the West or continuing to deepen relations with Russia.
Election monitoring organizations, including the OSCE, reported various incidents of electoral violations, such as ballot-stuffing and voter intimidation, though they stopped short of declaring the results fraudulent. Antonio Lopez-Isturiz White, head of the European Parliament’s delegation, voiced concerns about democratic backsliding in Georgia, citing the election conduct as evidence of ongoing issues.
European Council President Charles Michel echoed the urgency for a thorough investigation into the reported irregularities and reiterated the European Union’s expectations for Georgia to reaffirm its commitment to European integration. Protests in Tbilisi have been announced for Monday evening, as Zourabichvili seeks to galvanize public sentiment against the election outcomes.
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