According to exit polls, the pro-European coalition Coalition for Change is leading in the parliamentary elections in Georgia. In the survey published shortly after the polls closed on Saturday evening, the alliance of four opposition parties received 51.9 percent of the vote.
The ruling party Georgian Dream, which is pro-Russian, had only 40.9 percent. However, forecasts published by the Georgian media varied widely. For example, the broadcaster Imedi TV, which is close to the ruling party, predicted a result of 56 percent of the votes.
Government and opposition claim victory
Both the government and the opposition claim victory. Billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili declared the ruling party Georgian Dream, which he founded, the winner of the election.
However, the opposition party Coalition for Change stated that the previous opposition had jointly won a parliamentary majority in the Caucasus Republic.
According to Formula TV, which is close to the opposition, the ruling party can expect 41 percent of the votes and the opposition as a whole can expect 52 percent of the votes. The also pro-opposition channel Mtawari Archi TV saw the ruling party at 42 percent and the opposition at a total of 48 percent.
Georgian Dream wants to ban the opposition
The Georgian Dream party, which has been in power for 12 years, wants to expand relations with Moscow, while the opposition seeks to join the European Union. Democratic principles are also at stake in the parliamentary elections. The founder of Georgian Dream, the billionaire and former Prime Minister Ivanishvili, had announced that if his party won the elections, it would ban opposition parties.
According to pro-European President Salome Zurabishvili, there was violence during the parliamentary elections. “I would like to draw attention to the very disturbing incidents of violence in several polling stations,” she said in online services on Saturday.
Videos had previously circulated on internet networks showing violent clashes at polling stations in various locations. There are signs of a vibrant election turnout.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
