The parliamentary elections in Georgia have triggered a wave of political tension, with opposition parties and civil society organizations casting doubt on the integrity of the electoral process. Allegations of extensive electoral fraud and concerns about voter manipulation have fueled demands to annul the election results and have set the stage for upcoming mass protests.

Opposition Rejects Election Results

Two of Georgia’s prominent opposition parties, Unity – National Movement and Coalition for Change, have declared they will not recognize the election results. With roughly 72.36% of votes counted, these parties collectively garnered around 21.03% of the vote. Both groups allege that the ruling party, Georgian Dream, secured victory through what they call "a stolen election," which they label a "constitutional coup" and an "usurpation of power."

Opposition leaders maintain that the election environment was manipulated to favor the ruling party and that widespread violations occurred on election day. The leaders of these parties are now preparing for mass protests, with dates and locations to be announced following coalition discussions.

Civil Society Observers Demand Annulment

A coalition of civil society organizations, operating under the umbrella group WeVote, has also raised serious concerns about the conduct of the elections. WeVote, which includes notable organizations such as Transparency International Georgia, Georgia’s Reforms Associates (GRASS), the Civil Society Foundation, and IDFI, deployed 2,000 observers across the country to monitor the electoral process. These groups accuse the government of engaging in a "complex scheme of election fraud," and they are urging the Central Election Commission (CEC) to annul the results.

According to WeVote, the pre-election environment was characterized by widespread irregularities and undue influence over voters. They cite incidents of violence at polling stations and claim that the preliminary results released by the CEC fail to reflect the true will of the Georgian people. "The observation process is ongoing," a WeVote statement read, “and we will continue this work […] We believe that the preliminary results do not represent the citizens’ real choice.”

Georgian President Speaks Out

Adding to the controversy, Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has voiced her concerns about alleged attempts to manipulate the election results. She warned that ongoing efforts to falsify election outcomes could undermine the public’s trust in the political system and called for a transparent and lawful resolution. Her statement is seen by some as a veiled critique of the ruling party and has added further weight to opposition claims of electoral misconduct.

Orbán’s Endorsement

The Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán quickly extended his congratulations to Georgian Dream. Orbán praised Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and the ruling party for their "confident victory," asserting that "the people of Georgia know what is best for their country, and today their voices have been heard."