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Georgia ruling party seeks new mandate in parliamentary election Georgia governing party claims poll victory
(about 17 hours later)
People in Georgia are voting in parliamentary elections, which are seen as a test of stability for the former Soviet republic. The governing party in Georgia has claimed victory in parliamentary elections, as partial results give it a commanding lead.
More than 20 political parties are competing for seats in the assembly. With 22% of the votes counted, the Georgian Dream party has about 53%, the country's electoral commission says.
The main battle is expected to be between the governing Georgian Dream party and the opposition United National Movement (UNM). The opposition United National Movement (UNM) is in second place with about 25% of the votes.
However, many voters were still undecided on the eve of the elections, according to opinion polls. Earlier, PM Giorgi Kvirikashvili claimed a "huge victory", but UNM leaders questioned that assessment.
They are weary about the elections, as poverty, unemployment and debt continue to blight their lives, the BBC's Rayhan Demytrie in Tbilisi reports. Those statements were based on exit polls, which showed different results to the partial official ones.
Polls opened at 08:00 local time (04:00 GMT) and close at 20:00. More than 20 political parties competed for seats in the assembly in Saturday's elections seen as a test of stability for the former Soviet republic.
Political parties need to clear the 5% threshold to be represented in the 150-member parliament. Many voters had been undecided on the eve of the elections, according to opinion polls, with Georgian Dream and the UNM neck-and-neck.
Georgian Dream hopes to secure a further mandate to govern, claiming modest economic success stories over the past four years - including a trade deal with Europe. They were weary about the elections, as poverty, unemployment and debt continue to blight their lives, the BBC's Rayhan Demytrie in Tbilisi reports.
The exit polls also suggested that a pro-Russian party could enter parliament for the first time in Georgia's post-Soviet history.
The Alliance of Patriots needs to secure 5% of votes, a requirement to be represented in the 150-member parliament.
Georgia briefly went to war with Russia in 2008 and wants to join Nato and the EU.
In a region of predominantly authoritarian states, it is seen a post-Soviet success story with a multi-party democracy, our correspondent says.
Voter turnout was low, with just 51% of those eligible casting ballots according to the election commission.
Mr Kvirikashvili praised the election as "truly free and fair" but some procedural violations were reported by observers.
A car bombing targeting a UNM lawmaker earlier this week in central Tbilisi saw the party accuse authorities of creating "a climate of hatred" before the polls.
A polling station was attacked Saturday in Marneuli, south of Tbilisi by a large group of UNM supporters according to police.
Georgian Dream had contested the election claiming modest economic success stories over the past four years - including a trade deal with Europe.
The UNM, which brought Georgia international recognition for its reforms under its flamboyant leader and former President Mikheil Saakashvili, was voted out in 2012 following a prison abuse scandal.The UNM, which brought Georgia international recognition for its reforms under its flamboyant leader and former President Mikheil Saakashvili, was voted out in 2012 following a prison abuse scandal.
The UNM hopes that Georgians have grown tired of the ruling party and its billionaire founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, our correspondent says. It hoped that Georgians had grown tired of the ruling party and its billionaire founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, our correspondent adds.
Despite having officially left politics, Mr Ivanishvili is still widely considered to be the country's chief decision-maker.Despite having officially left politics, Mr Ivanishvili is still widely considered to be the country's chief decision-maker.
Still, in a region of predominantly authoritarian states, Georgia is a post-Soviet success story with a multi-party democracy, our correspondent adds.