Georgian president denounces election results: Video
President Salome Zurabishvili has alleged that Moscow is behind the election fraud, referring to it as a "Russian special operation."
The Georgian opposition has called for mass protests following a disputed legislative vote that resulted in a significant win for the ruling Georgian Dream party, which has faced accusations of shifting towards Russia. In response to the contentious results, she urged citizens to rally on Monday, October 28.
Jailed former President Mikheil Saakashvili also joined the call for protests.
The European Union has demanded an investigation into the alleged "irregularities" observed during the election, which international observers described as marred by an uneven playing field, pressure, and instances of ballot box stuffing and violence against observers.
EU Council President Charles Michel stressed the need for a "swift, transparent, and independent investigation" into the electoral process, stating that the allegations must be addressed seriously.
With more than 99 per cent of precincts reporting, official results show the Georgian Dream party winning 54 per cent of the vote, while the main pro-Western opposition coalition received 37.5 per cent.
This outcome secures the ruling party 91 seats in the 150-member parliament, enabling them to govern but falling short of the supermajority needed to implement constitutional changes that could further marginalize opposition parties.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze claimed the victory was impressive and accused the opposition of undermining the constitutional order by disputing the results.
Meanwhile, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, an ally of the ruling party, congratulated the Georgian Dream for what he termed an "overwhelming victory" even before preliminary results were fully published.
