On Saturday, October 26, Georgians headed to the polls for their most decisive elections since 2003. The anti-Western ruling party, Georgian Dream (GD), claimed victory amongst accusations of voter fraud from the opposition and observers. However, the prime minister denied these accusations, claiming a “landslide” victory. This data has been called into question by exit polls conducted for pro-opposition TV channels; these polls gave GD 40.9% and 42% of the vote, and the four opposition groups totaled 51.9% and 48%. Georgia’s Central Election Commission (CEC) announced the preliminary results, giving GD 56% of the votes based on 99% of the districts counted. According to the BBC, the ruling party’s victory has been questioned on various fronts, while the CEC has been accused of being too close to the ruling party. Additionally, widespread election violence made these results less credible. A coalition of election observers called My Vote said the level of voter fraud and election violence made it unlikely the CEC’s preliminary results were credible. After analyzing the available data, opposition members found significant discrepancies between the state data and the data they had collected. The GD prime minister denied the accusations, while the opposition President denounced the widespread fraud.
“Of course, we have to address these irregularities happening on the day of the election or before. But the general content of the elections was in line with legal principles and the principle of democratic elections,” said Prime Minister Iralki Kobakhidze in an interview with the BBC. However, Eklund, former EU ambassador, disagreed, stating that “Voter intimidation…up to and on election day severely undermined the process.”
This year has seen a record number of elections worldwide. According to CNN, at least 70 countries, home to nearly half of the world’s population, have hosted or will host elections this year. It’s a testament to the importance of giving people the ability to choose their leaders and decide the future of their countries. However, this year’s elections have also been fraught with election violence and democratic backsliding. Georgia is only one example; Venezuela’s election was also filled with violence and was undemocratic. The U.S. election cycle saw violence in preparation for Election Day as well. Elections are a critical aspect of democracies, but violence has no place in this process. Governments and parties who encourage or carry out violence against voters must be held accountable by their citizens, societies, and the international community as a whole. The work of election observers and NGOs is also essential to preserving the integrity of elections worldwide. Claims of election fraud in Georgia must be closely investigated by independent authorities to ensure the will of the Georgian people is respected.
Georgian Dream has been in power for the past 12 years, and their recent campaign placed the war in Ukraine front and center. A series of ads released by the party implied the opposition parties would endanger the country’s peace and drag them into another Ukraine-style war. The message resonated with citizens, especially after the 2008 conflict with Russia. In 2023, Georgia was offered the opportunity to join the European Union. However, the Union halted the process due to anti-Western rhetoric from the Georgian Dream and a “foreign influence” law passed in June 2024. The law was seen as a threat to Georgian democracy and brought thousands of protestors to the streets to express their disapproval. The party’s founder and honorary chairman, Bidzina Ivanishvili, has promised to outlaw opposition groups, seeing Georgian civil society and free press as agents of the West. With GD’s recent victory, the country will begin fostering closer ties with Moscow, effectively widening Russia’s sphere of influence.
