2020 Georgian Parliamentary Elections

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Georgia’s Central Election Commission in Tbilisi. Mariam Nikuradze/OC Media.

Government makes blocking access to Central Election Commission illegal

by OC Media

•2 min read

The Georgian government made blocking access to the Central Election Commission (CEC), the parliament, and the Patriarchate building illegal, just three days before the parliamentary elections. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze signed a resolution designating the CEC as an object of strategic or special importance. The designation was also given to parliament, the Patriarchate building, the Government Chancellery, as well as unspecified state institutions, courts, and certain

2020 Georgian Parliamentary Elections

Two opposition figures shot at in southern Georgia within days of each other

by Tata Shoshiashvili

•2 min read

Two members of the opposition United National Movement (UNM) party have been shot at in the southern Georgian region of Kvemo-Kartli within days of each other in what the party says are attacks by members of the ruling Georgian Dream party. UNM party activist Humbat Jalilov was shot and wounded in the town of Marneuli on Saturday less than a week after the former mayor of the town of Dmanisi said his car had been shot at. Speaking to the opposition-leaning TV channel Mtavari, a cousin of Jal

2018 Georgian Presidential Elections

Watchdogs back ex-security chief’s claim of ‘large-scale electoral fraud’ in Georgia

by Shota Kincha

•4 min read

Two major watchdog groups have accused the Georgian Government of operating a scheme of large-scale electoral fraud over recent years, citing leaked documents from a former deputy head of the security services. On Thursday, the International Society for Fair Elections And Democracy (ISFED) and Transparency International Georgia (TI) suggested the government had illegally offered pardons, pressured public employees, and misused administrative resources in order to influence the outcome of elect

2020 parliamentary elections. Photo: Mariam Nikuradze/OC Media.

2020 Georgian Parliamentary Elections

Datablog | Georgia’s COVID-19 cases exploded due to the 2020 parliamentary elections

by Givi Silagadze

•2 min read

New analysis released in CRRC Georgia’s policy bulletin suggests that the 2020 parliamentary elections led to a massive rise in COVID-19 cases and deaths in Georgia. While the analysis of last year’s vote looks bleak, this is not to say that the 2 October local elections should be cancelled, which this analysis in no way addresses. However, political parties, the government, and voters need to exercise caution if a repeat of last year is to be avoided. The newly released policy brief estim

Elected MPs at the ceremony of signing a memorandum on abolishing their mandates. 11 December, Tbilisi. Image: Mariam Nikuradze/OC Media

2020 Georgian Parliamentary Elections

Georgia’s opposition divided on ‘Serbian’ model

by Shota Kincha

•3 min read

A demand to hold a repeated parliamentary vote in 2022 as a solution to ongoing political gridlock in Georgia has escalated disputes among opposition groups that so far have remained committed to their boycott against the new parliament. The suggestion by Mamuka Khazaradze, the leader of the opposition Lelo for Georgia (Lelo) Party, to seek an extraordinary parliamentary election in 2022 triggered the latest public spat among Georgia’s opposition. The Lelo head’s proposition deviated from a

2020 Georgian Parliamentary Elections

Georgian election watchdog in hot water over parallel vote count error

by Shota Kincha

•3 min read

Georgian election watchdog the International Society for Fair Elections And Democracy (ISFED) has found itself embroiled in scandal after admitting to making a mistake in their parallel vote tabulation. Since 31 October’s parliamentary election, all eight opposition parties that won seats have denounced the vote as rigged, in part, though not only, because of irregularities raised by ISFED and other watchdogs. The day after the elections, ISFED unveiled the results of their Parallel Vote Tab

Protester outside of Georgia's Parliament. Photo: Mariam Nikuradze/OC Media.

2020 Georgian Parliamentary Elections

Georgia’s new parliament opens without a single member of the opposition

by Shota Kincha

•6 min read

After six weeks of negotiations with the ruling party and growing infighting, major opposition groups have refused to endorse their parliamentary mandates as the US and EU-brokered negotiations are stuck in a deadlock. As 87 Georgian Dream MPs took their oaths inaugurating the new Parliament in Tbilisi on 11 December, outside, several hundreds of metres away several major opposition groups that had gained parliamentary mandates in the disputed 31 October vote signed a joint memorandum to forma