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| Ruling party claims victory in Georgia elections Ruling party claims victory in Georgia elections | |
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| Georgia’s ruling party has cemented its grip on the former Soviet nation by claiming a decisive victory after a fiercely contested parliamentary election.. | Georgia’s ruling party has cemented its grip on the former Soviet nation by claiming a decisive victory after a fiercely contested parliamentary election.. |
| On Monday, the electoral commission announced that Georgian Dream, a party supported by the billionaire former prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, had received 48.6% of the vote in the proportional representation race. | On Monday, the electoral commission announced that Georgian Dream, a party supported by the billionaire former prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, had received 48.6% of the vote in the proportional representation race. |
| The rival United National Movement (UNM), supported by ex-president Mikhail Saakashvili, received just 27.14%, while almost all of the other parties failed to clear the 5% threshold required to gain a seat in the 150-member parliament. | The rival United National Movement (UNM), supported by ex-president Mikhail Saakashvili, received just 27.14%, while almost all of the other parties failed to clear the 5% threshold required to gain a seat in the 150-member parliament. |
| Georgian Dream, which is pro-western but also favours closer ties with Russia, the country’s former ruler, declared victory shortly after polls closed on Saturday. | Georgian Dream, which is pro-western but also favours closer ties with Russia, the country’s former ruler, declared victory shortly after polls closed on Saturday. |
| “I congratulate you with a big victory, Georgia,” Georgi Kvirikashvili, the prime minister, told jubilant supporters who had gathered outside the party’s headquarters in the capital, Tbilisi. | “I congratulate you with a big victory, Georgia,” Georgi Kvirikashvili, the prime minister, told jubilant supporters who had gathered outside the party’s headquarters in the capital, Tbilisi. |
| Kvirikashvili then invited on to the stage his party’s billionaire supporter, who immediately took aim at the rival UNM. | Kvirikashvili then invited on to the stage his party’s billionaire supporter, who immediately took aim at the rival UNM. |
| Georgia today has a true people’s government “instead of the obscure government you had before”, Ivanishvili said. “You have Kvirikashvili instead of those confused, disorganised people. You have a government you love,” he added, as the crowd chanted his name. | Georgia today has a true people’s government “instead of the obscure government you had before”, Ivanishvili said. “You have Kvirikashvili instead of those confused, disorganised people. You have a government you love,” he added, as the crowd chanted his name. |
| The UNM disputed the result, and said there was still a chance for the party to strengthen its position. | The UNM disputed the result, and said there was still a chance for the party to strengthen its position. |
| Georgia’s parliament elects 77 seats by proportional representation and 73 in single-seat constituencies. Though Georgian Dream leads confidently in the proportional race, a further 50 so-called runoff votes will be held in the constituency race, as most candidates failed to garner the 50% required to represent single-mandate districts, the election authorities said on Monday. | Georgia’s parliament elects 77 seats by proportional representation and 73 in single-seat constituencies. Though Georgian Dream leads confidently in the proportional race, a further 50 so-called runoff votes will be held in the constituency race, as most candidates failed to garner the 50% required to represent single-mandate districts, the election authorities said on Monday. |
| “There are tens of districts where we were the favourites. The runoffs will be decisive in defeating the Ivanishvili regime,” said Giga Bokeria, a senior UNM member. | “There are tens of districts where we were the favourites. The runoffs will be decisive in defeating the Ivanishvili regime,” said Giga Bokeria, a senior UNM member. |
| Georgian Dream is expected to get a super-majority in the assembly if it also prevails in the district votes, scheduled to be held before the end of this month. | Georgian Dream is expected to get a super-majority in the assembly if it also prevails in the district votes, scheduled to be held before the end of this month. |
| Though violent attacks in several precincts marred the race, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe said on Sunday that the election had been competitive and that fundamental freedoms had been generally respected. | Though violent attacks in several precincts marred the race, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe said on Sunday that the election had been competitive and that fundamental freedoms had been generally respected. |
| However, others pointed to the wiretapping scandals, fist fights and accusations of coup-plotting that rocked the campaigns as evidence that Georgia’s democracy was still fragile: the first peaceful transfer of power since the 1991 Soviet collapse only took place four years ago. | However, others pointed to the wiretapping scandals, fist fights and accusations of coup-plotting that rocked the campaigns as evidence that Georgia’s democracy was still fragile: the first peaceful transfer of power since the 1991 Soviet collapse only took place four years ago. |
| Last week, an opposition MP’s car was badly damaged after an explosive device was planted beneath the vehicle. The MP, named as UNM representative Givi Targamadze, was not hurt in the attack. | Last week, an opposition MP’s car was badly damaged after an explosive device was planted beneath the vehicle. The MP, named as UNM representative Givi Targamadze, was not hurt in the attack. |
| Critics of the government said Ivanishvili and Saakashvili’s feud was to blame for the fiery campaigns. Neither man is running for office, yet many see their influence over the country’s two largest political parties as a burden on Georgia’s young democracy. | Critics of the government said Ivanishvili and Saakashvili’s feud was to blame for the fiery campaigns. Neither man is running for office, yet many see their influence over the country’s two largest political parties as a burden on Georgia’s young democracy. |
| “We have an unusual situation when at the centre of the campaign we have two individuals who have no status involving direct public accountability,” said Mikheil Benidze, executive director of the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy. | “We have an unusual situation when at the centre of the campaign we have two individuals who have no status involving direct public accountability,” said Mikheil Benidze, executive director of the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy. |
| The feud has dogged Georgia since the last parliamentary vote in 2012, when Ivanishvili’s party, then a member of the multi-party Georgian Dream coalition, won a majority of the seats on offer. | The feud has dogged Georgia since the last parliamentary vote in 2012, when Ivanishvili’s party, then a member of the multi-party Georgian Dream coalition, won a majority of the seats on offer. |
| Ivanishvili then stepped down as a prime minister in 2013, claiming that his job to end the near decade-long dominance of Saakashvili’s UNM was done. Saakashvili went on to become governor of Ukraine’s Odessa Oblast, but both men remain influential in Georgian politics. | Ivanishvili then stepped down as a prime minister in 2013, claiming that his job to end the near decade-long dominance of Saakashvili’s UNM was done. Saakashvili went on to become governor of Ukraine’s Odessa Oblast, but both men remain influential in Georgian politics. |
| The question of Russian influence also loomed large over the campaigns, and for the first time the Patriots’ Alliance of Georgia, widely seen as a pro-Moscow party, narrowly passed the 5% barrier to enter the legislature – a result that could change as the vote count continues. | The question of Russian influence also loomed large over the campaigns, and for the first time the Patriots’ Alliance of Georgia, widely seen as a pro-Moscow party, narrowly passed the 5% barrier to enter the legislature – a result that could change as the vote count continues. |
| Reuters contributed to this report | Reuters contributed to this report |