Political Turmoil in Georgia Following Parliamentary Vote
On Sunday, Georgia’s President Salome Zourabichvili declared that she could not accept the results of the parliamentary elections held over the weekend. According to official reports, the ruling party, Georgian Dream, emerged victorious, a development that Zourabichvili attributed to a “Russian special operation” designed to divert Georgia from its path towards European integration.
In a passionate appeal to the public, Zourabichvili stood alongside opposition leaders and called for a rally in Tbilisi on Monday night, urging citizens to protest against what she described as “total falsification” and “outright theft of your votes.” This statement raises concerns about the potential for escalating political unrest in the South Caucasus nation.
“This election cannot be recognized, as doing so would imply acceptance of Russia’s encroachment and Georgia’s subjugation to Russian influence,” Zourabichvili emphasized. The Central Election Commission of Georgia reported that with nearly all ballots counted, the Georgian Dream party secured 54.8% of the votes cast in Saturday’s election.
Many Georgians perceive this election as a critical referendum on their aspirations to join the European Union, especially after Brussels indefinitely suspended Georgia’s EU membership process in response to a controversial ‘foreign influence law’ enacted in June, which bore resemblance to laws in Russia.
The election campaign itself was heavily focused on foreign policy issues and was characterized by a fierce struggle for voter support, marred by allegations of a smear campaign against opposition candidates.
European electoral observers noted that the elections unfolded in a “divisive” environment, plagued by reports of intimidation, vote buying, double voting, and even incidents of physical violence.
