TBILISI, Georgia — The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party has declared victory in Georgia's 2024 national elections despite allegations of vote-rigging, voter intimidation, bribery, and even violence. 

Despite this, the central election commission gave Georgian Dream 54 per cent of the vote in an election with a turnout of 58 per cent.

Members of the opposition party, Strong Georgia, alongside other factions, are openly rejecting the results, asserting that the election was far from fair.

At a pro-opposition rally six days before the election, the leader of the Coalition for Change, Elene Khoshtaria, said, “We are in the process of violence, intimidation, bribery, and state capture. Total state capture. This election will be about people, not an oligarch, being in power.”

Ms Khoshtaria said, “Georgia needs a pro-Western unity of like-minded, pro-Western parties to offer an alternative.”

International monitors raised severe concerns about the integrity of the election process at a press conference held by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) at Tbilisi's Radisson Blue Hotel. 

The OSCE delegation, backed by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), presented a list of violations they observed that compromised the democratic process.

Election Observations and Violations

PACE leader Iulian Bulai outlined several critical issues observed during the election:

Vote-Buying and Double Voting: “During our observation, we noted cases of vote-buying and double voting before and during elections, especially in rural areas.”

Voter Intimidation: "The presence of surveillance cameras within polling stations, ostensibly placed by the ruling GD, and individuals stationed outside appeared to monitor voter behaviour, creating a climate of fear and intimidation. "The feeling of 'Big Brother is watching you' was palpable," Mr Bulai said.

Uneven Playing Field: Mr Bulai stressed that an "uneven playing field" eroded the election's credibility, suggesting deficiencies in election protocols have damaged public trust.

Vandalism and Threats: Observers also reported cases of intimidation against them, including the vandalism of a PACE team's vehicle while monitoring a rural polling station.

Bulai concluded that “these issues now need to be addressed by the authorities within the framework of the monitoring procedure of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.”

Georgia at a Crossroads: Europe or Russia?

Georgia's 2024 election was seen as a referendum on the country's geopolitical direction, with voters choosing between closer ties to Europe or stronger affiliations with Russia. With GD's victory, many analysts and citizens fear the nation could lean more heavily toward Russia, countering the pro-European aspirations of a significant portion of the population.

Nikoloz, a 17-year-old Georgian student, voiced the anxiety felt by many young citizens at pro-opposition rally. "If Georgian Dream gets elected, it will be my Georgian nightmare," he said, clutching his passport and planning to leave the country should GD take power.

A Divided Nation

In the final days of the election campaign, rallies were held on both sides, with the opposition coalition Strong Georgia rallying under a progressive, pro-European banner. 

The GD, however, appealed mainly to conservative and older voters, many of whom favour maintaining Russian ties. The resulting division reflects the nation's polarised political landscape, with each side advocating starkly different visions for Georgia's future.

Two days before the election, Mamuka Khazaradze, leader of Strong Georgia, declared that his coalition would initiate talks with the European Union and roll back the GD-supported Russian foreign agent law if elected. "The Georgian Dream [party] is the Russian party here… isolating my country to stay under Russian influence and blocking our path to the European Union," he said.

Khazaradze also raised concerns over the growing Russian economic presence in Georgia, noting that "37,000 Russian companies have been opened in Georgia in the last two years." His coalition has called for policies to protect the nation from what he described as “growing foreign influence.”

The Future of Georgia's Foreign Policy

Levan Makhashvili, a GD representative, responded to critics, asserting that Georgia's path is ultimately toward Europe, as stated in the country's constitution. "Georgia has made a strong and substantial decision on these foreign policy priorities," he said, adding that the new Parliament would soon reaffirm these commitments. Makhashvili dismissed claims of neutrality, reinforcing that Georgia's alignment with European values remains steadfast.

Calls for International Oversight

As the GD claims victory in a fraught election, the opposition and concerned citizens call for more robust international scrutiny and democratic reforms to ensure fair and transparent elections in Georgia's future. Observers argue that the country's young democracy is at a critical juncture, and the outcome of this election could shape the nation's direction for years to come.

A few days before the election, Civic IDEA chairperson and former defence minister Tinatin "Tina" Khidasheli said that if the GD commits election fraud and declares they won, “it will be a difficult winter.”

"I don't think the Georgian Dream will survive under those circumstances, and I believe that they will just prolong the inevitable. The GD losing power will be unavoidable; it will happen one way or another.

"This can be anything starting from public pressure. MPs, finally giving up, changing sides. GD, losing a majority in Parliament, and by that, ending its power, that could be one scenario. And another one is there could be huge protests, and the GD orders to start shooting demonstrators," she said.

On October 28, Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili called for a protest against the election results in central Tbilisi, urging people to 'stand together' and not to recognise them.

"As the only remaining independent institution in this state, I want to say that I do not recognise this election. It cannot be recognised. It would be the same as recognising Russia's entry here -- Georgian subordination to Russia," she said.

Furthermore, President Zourabichvili alleged that Georgia had become the victim of a "Russian special operation". 

In the coming weeks, the OSCE and PACE will continue to monitor developments, with hopes that their findings will push Georgian authorities to address the reported violations. At a time when Georgia's aspirations for European integration hang in the balance, the international community and the Georgian people alike await signs of meaningful reform.

Contributed by Hugh Bohane, Davide Maria De Luca, Leonardo Delfanti