Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream party has emerged victorious in the country’s general election, defeating pro-EU and pro-Western opposition parties in a campaign that was largely dominated by foreign policy concerns.
With more than 99% of precincts counted, the Central Election Commission (CEC) announced that Georgian Dream, which has been in power for 12 years, had secured 54% of the vote. The election was widely seen as a make-or-break referendum on whether Georgia should pursue membership in the European Union or strengthen its ties with its regionally-dominant neighbour, Russia.
Georgian Dream founder and billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, who made his fortune in Russia, accused opposition parties of being agents of foreign countries, suggesting that the West wants Georgia to go to war with Russia. He also pledged to ban all pro-Western opposition groups if the party won a constitutional majority.
Ivanishvili claimed victory almost immediately after polls closed, stating that it was “rare in the world for the same party to achieve such success in such a difficult situation.” However, pro-Western Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, who has frequently criticized Georgian Dream, was among the opposition leaders who also claimed victory based on competing exit polls, some of which put the opposition ahead.
Zourabichvili, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), claimed that her bloc, European Georgia, had taken 52% of the vote, despite what she called “attempts to rig elections.” Images of opposition leaders celebrating, confirming their early confidence, were also shared on social media.
Reports of voting irregularities emerged, with a video shared on social media showing a man stuffing ballots into a box at a polling station in Marneuli. Georgia’s Interior Ministry announced an investigation into the incident, and the CEC confirmed that a criminal case had been opened and that all results from the polling station would be declared invalid.
Sky News’ international correspondent John Sparks, reporting from Tbilisi, described the outcome as a “stunning result,” predicting that many Georgians would find it “unbelievable,” as a change of government had been widely anticipated after Georgian Dream’s 12 years in power.
The election result has significant implications for Georgia’s future foreign policy direction, as the country navigates its relationship with the European Union and Russia. The victory of Georgian Dream, with its ties to Russia, may raise concerns among pro-Western Georgians who aspire to closer integration with the EU.
news.sky.com
