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Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
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Georgian Dream declared election winner; opposition disputes results

by Ani Chkhikvadze

Tbilisi, Georgia --

The streets of Tbilisi echoed with despair on Sunday as the Central
Election Commission said the ruling Georgian Dream party won Saturday's
parliamentary election. The opposition parties are disputing the
results.

With 99% of the precincts reporting, Georgian Dream had secured 54.8%
of the vote, reinforcing its grip on a nation polarized over its
political future. Most of the leaders of the opposition parties say the
vote, seen as a referendum on Georgia's path toward deeper Western
alignment or closer ties with Russia, was rigged.

Judging by the preliminary results, the opposition struggled to mount a
strong challenge. Initial counts show the Coalition for Changes at
10.8%, Unity-National Movement at 10%, Strong Georgia at 8.7%, and
Giorgi Gakharia's For Georgia party at 7.7%.

As exit polls were announced, both the ruling party and opposition
initially declared victory, though the official results quickly favored
Georgian Dream securing its fourth term with more votes than it
received in the last election.

"Such cases are rare worldwide, where the same party achieves such
success under challenging circumstances," Bidzina Ivanishvili said,
shortly after the first exit polls were announced. The oligarch is seen
as Georgian Dream's true leader.

Soon after, Hungary's Victor Orban congratulated the Georgian Dream,
and Margarita Simonian, editor-in-chief of the Russian state-controlled
broadcaster RT, wrote on Telegram: "Georgians won, well done."

"This is election theft, a constitutional coup, and Georgian Dream will
answer for it according to Georgian law," said Nika Gvaramia, one of
the leaders of the Coalition for Changes. He said his coalition had
uncovered a "technological scheme" used to manipulate the election
results.

"We promised to protect your votes, and I apologize for not identifying
this complex scheme earlier," Gvaramia said.

Elene Khoshtaria, another member of the Coalition for Changes and
leader of the Droa party, echoed Gvaramia.

"We are firm and principled in our stance that this election was
stolen, and we won't accept it. We are moving to continuous protest,
organized and coordinated, starting tomorrow. The protest will be in
the streets, and we will announce the time and place," she said.

Unity-National Movement also sees the elections as stolen.

"Oligarch Ivanishvili stole the victory from the Georgian people and
thereby stole the European future. On behalf of the Unity-National
Movement, we declare that we do not accept the results of the
elections," Tina Bokuchava, party leader, said.

Some of the independent observers also criticized the reported outcome.

"Based on analysis of the pre-election environment, widespread
manipulation on election day, and unprecedented pressure on voters, we
believe that the preliminary results released by the CEC do not reflect
the true will of Georgian citizens. We will continue to demand the
annulment of these results," said Londa Toloraia of the NGO coalition
"My Voice."

Many of the analysts in the country cite fraud as the source of the
ruling party's success.

Other observers also argue that Georgian Dream's success stemmed not
only from its strengths but also from the opposition's weaknesses.
Because of internal conflicts, a lack of coherent policies, and
shifting political allegiances, opposition parties failed to offer a
compelling alternative to the ruling party.

"I voted for a change '¦ by a process of elimination," a 20-year-old
first-time voter told VOA on the condition of anonymity. It was a
sentiment many echoed.

"The opposition appears bankrupt, having relied on the hope that a)
Georgian Dream would collapse on its own, or b) the West would
ultimately bring down Ivanishvili's regime. Consequently, they failed
to conduct a genuine campaign, with even fewer events than in previous
elections," said Levan Ramishvili, associated professor of political
philosophy and international relations at Tbilisi-based Free
University.

"Adding to this is the West's lack of moral clarity, characterized by
hesitation, ambiguity, and a 'leading from behind' approach -- granting
EU candidate status one moment, suspending it the next; imposing
sanctions, but only on marginal figures," he said.

Leading up to the election, the United States and European Union voiced
concerns, citing a perceived drift from democratic principles and
closer ties to Russia.

"The picture is very clear now -- despite pressure, intimidation,
violence and vote-buying, they lost the capital and Rustavi and lost by
catastrophic landslide abroad. But in regions where there were less
oversight and people are more vulnerable and dependent on the state won
with Kadyrov-style numbers of 80-90%. [The] international community
cannot possibly agree that this is fair and square. Legitimizing this
would mean granting major geopolitical victory to Russia," said Giorgi
Kandelaki, project manager at the Soviet Past Research Laboratory.

Analysts and opposition figures warned that Ivanishvili is guiding the
country toward Russia, tightening control over the media and
independent institutions.

Earlier this year, the government passed a controversial "foreign
agent" law, modeled on Russian legislation. It targets NGOs and media
outlets that receive foreign funding, mainly from the West. The law led
to widespread protests in the country and a subsequent brutal response
from the government.

Like their leaders, many of the opposition voters question the
legitimacy of Georgian Dream's lead.

"Nobody around me voted for them. How did they get a million votes?"
asked Davit, a man in his 30s. Another said, "The government you elect
is the government you deserve," expressing frustration with fellow
Georgians, while a third added, "They've sold out the country for a 300
GEL [around $120] salary."

Georgian Dream'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 election that was held was neither fair nor free," said the Free
University's Ramishvili. "Since the 2018 presidential election,
Georgian Dream has built a powerful electoral machine that relies
heavily on bribery, intimidation of vulnerable voters, and fear of war.
This machine operates by using both administrative and budgetary
resources for partisan purposes, as well as outright bribery."

Over the years, Georgian Dream has forged strong alliances with wide
range of political actors and groups, from pro-Russian socially
conservative groups to street hooligans, and chiefly with the highly
popular, Georgian Orthodox Church.

"Last week, my priest officially asked us from the pulpit to vote for
Georgian Dream," said Rusudan, a middle-aged voter. "He even said
anyone voting for the opposition would lose the right to communion."

This message, repeated in the churches across the country, has
bolstered Georgian Dream's support among religious and traditionalist
voters over the years.

The ruling party framed the election as a choice between war and peace,
labeling critics at home and abroad as part of a "global war party," a
term borrowed from Kremlin narratives. For a country scarred by wars
with Russia in the 1990s and again in 2008, this message resonated
strongly.

Meanwhile, the opposition cast the election as a referendum on ending
up under Russian influence.

"Amid rising Russian aggression and a hesitant West unable to defend
its values, anti-Western and anti-liberal forces are growing stronger
in our region. These groups skillfully exploit the West's failure to
protect its principles, citing Russia's unpunished aggression against
neighboring countries as an example," Ramishvili said.

For now, Georgian Dream celebrates its apparent victory. But many
Georgians, particularly younger urbanites, feel increasingly
disillusioned. As results are confirmed, Georgia faces deep divisions
and an uncertain path forward.

#georgia #russia #georgian-dream #georgian-dream-party #georgian-orthodox-church #bidzina-ivanishvili #election #eu