Sunday UNM rally (Grigol Vashadze/Facebook)
Leaders and supporters of the United National Movement-led opposition coalition gathered in central Tbilisi on Sunday demanding the government negotiate with the opposition before the president-elect’s inauguration day.
Salome Zurabishvili
Salome Zurabishvili has been elected the 5th president of Georgia in 28 November’s presidential runoff, winning 60% of votes according to preliminary results. Her win is historic, given that she is the first woman to run and succeed in the marathon for the presidential seat. Constantly emphasising her European origins, she has promised to help Georgia integrate into NATO and the EU and as she likes to say, ‘bring Georgian society together’.
CRRC-Georgia examines how effective negative campaign tactics and contact with voters is for political parties in Georgia. [Read more…]
Salome Zurabishvili and Grigol Vashadze (RFE/RL)
Georgia’s Election Administration has set the date for the second round presidential election for 28 November — a Wednesday. The midweek date was heavily criticised by the opposition and several major civil society groups.
Grigol Vashadze (Facebook)
The opposition candidate in Georgia’s second round presidential election, the United National Movement’s (UNM) Grigol Vashadze, has promised snap parliamentary elections if elected. Meanwhile, chair of the ruling Georgian Dream party Bidzina Ivanishvili promised ‘remarkable’ changes ‘within a year’. [Read more…]
Presidential candidates Salome Zurabishvili and Grigol Vashadze casting their ballots (Mari Nikuradze, Facebook)
Georgia’s political scene is heating up as the country braces for a presidential run-off election. After Georgian Dream–endorsed Salome Zurabishvili failed to win a majority in the first round, members of the ruling party warned of ‘violence’ or a ‘civil war’ if the opposition’s Grigol Vashadze comes out on top. [Read more…]
Salome Zurabishvili and Grigol Vashadze (RFE/RL)
Georgia's presidential election will go to a second round run-off after no candidate won more than 50% of Sunday’s vote, according to preliminary results from the Election Administration. With over 99% of votes counted, Georgian Dream–endorsed candidate Salome Zurabishvili leads with 39% of votes with the UNM’s Grigol Vashadze in second with 38%.
With the date now set for Georgia’s presidential elections, it’s still not clear who will run and who will not. In what is set to be the country’s last direct presidential election, could a political upset challenge Georgian Dream’s dominance? [Read more…]
