Georgians react to the results of the parliamentary elections: Video
Georgia's ruling party, Georgian Dream, has officially won the parliamentary elections, according to the Central Election Commission.
However, opposition parties have condemned the results as fraudulent.
The vote, held on Saturday, October 27 was seen as a critical test of democracy for the EU candidate nation, with Brussels warning that its outcome could impact Georgia's chances of joining the European Union.
With over 99 per cent of precincts reporting, Georgian Dream received 54.08 per cent of the votes, while a coalition of four pro-Western opposition alliances garnered 37.58 per cent.
Central election commission chair Giorgi Kalandarishvili said that "the elections took place in a calm and free environment," which would grant Georgian Dream 91 out of 150 seats in parliament, enough to govern but short of the 113-seat constitutional majority they had aimed for to ban main opposition parties.
Opposition leaders, including Tina Bokuchava of the United National Movement (UNM), rejected the results, alleging the election was "stolen" and "falsified." Bokuchava emphasized that this was an attempt to "steal Georgia's future." Nika Gvaramia, head of the Akhali party, described the voting process as a "constitutional coup."
Georgian Dream, in power since 2012, initially followed a pro-Western agenda but has shifted in recent years, focusing on a narrative about a "global war party" allegedly seeking to involve Georgia in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) are expected to hold a press conference later to provide their preliminary assessments of the elections.
