Over this past Saturday 1.8 million Georgians turned out to vote in Georgia’s first round of nationwide municipal elections as part of the country’s seventh consecutive free and competitive election since 2012. This election followed a series reforms instituted by the Georgian government that were enacted in line with the key recommendations of the OSCE/ODIHR and the Venice Commission.
In continuation of free and competitive elections, international observers have described the first round of votes as “competitive and well run.” In total, the Election Administration of Georgia registered 36 international and 75 local observation organizations with more than 3000 observers.
International organizations like the OSCE/ODIHR have described the election as “competitive and technically well-administered,” and, that “The legal framework is generally conducive to democratic elections and preparation for the elections were transparent and professionally managed.” Furthermore, Albert Jonsson, who heads the ODIHR election observation mission declared, “These elections saw a larger range of candidates campaigning freely and many diverse views. They were also run transparently and professionally.”
In parallel, the European Union mission “concluded that the elections were generally well administered” and “that contestants were able to campaign freely in a competitive environment, and that the Election Day proceeded in an orderly and transparent manner.”
The election produced the following results:
- Georgian Dream – 46.65%
- UNM – 30.7%
- For Georgia – 7.79%
- Lelo for Georgia – 2.71%
- European Georgia – 1.66%
The election marks yet another democratic milestone for Georgia under the direction of the Georgian Dream. The electoral reforms passed by the Georgian government were noted by both the OSCE and the EU to have greatly improved the electoral process, and recently passed legislation will lead to fully proportional voting in the 2024 Parliamentary elections. The government of Georgia will continue to work with its international partners and NGOs to strengthen the country’s electoral system and democratic governance as part of its commitment to Euro-Atlantic governance ideals.
Following the first round of voting, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili called for all parties to come together for the benefit of the Georgian people and continue the progression towards a stronger democracy, a stronger economy and a stronger society. The Georgian government believes it is imperative that the main opposition party immediately cease its disruptive actions and cooperate with the ruling party to address Georgia’s most pressing issues in preparation for Georgia’s application for admission to the European Union in 2024.
See the Election Map here: