On 24 November, the co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for the monitoring of Georgia, Titus Corlatean and Claude Kern, called on the eight Georgian opposition parties to accept the parliamentary seats they won in the 31 October parliamentary elections. 

“These elections have resulted in a diverse parliament where the ruling majority will face a strong opposition that can ensure proper parliamentary oversight. The only appropriate forum for this, as well as for debating and challenging diverging political views, is the parliament. For the sake of Georgia’s democratic consolidation, we therefore call on all parties to accept the mandates they won in these elections and enter into the new parliament,” said the co-rapporteurs. 

They also stated that they fully support the findings and overall assessment of these elections by the international election observation mission, of which PACE was a part, but noted that a significant number of irregularities was reported during the elections which need to be assessed by the authorities in the country.

The leading members of the European parliament working on EU-Georgia relations David McAllister (EPP, Germany), Marina Kaljurand (S&D, Estonia), Sven Mikser (S&D, Estonia), and Viola von Cramon-Taubadel (The Greens/EFA, Germany) congratulated Georgia on organising these elections despite a challenging epidemiological context, but expressed their regret to the fact that opposition candidates did not contest seats in the second round of the elections. The statement also emphasised that the EU parliament remains ready to provide assistance, among others via parliamentary electoral dialogues and mediation between the Georgian political factions, so as to further improve relevant legislation ahead of future elections. 

Meanwhile, the opposition parties’ leaders continue individual meetings at the residence of the US Ambassador to Georgia Kelly Degnan. It was also reported that four of eight opposition parties which entered parliament may create a coalition. The parties in question are European Georgia (EG), Girchi, Strategy Agmashenebeli and Lelo. EG member  Levan Tarkhnishvili said that talks are in progress between the parties, adding that the parties “have much in common.” The Strategy Agmashenebeli and Lelo representatives on the other hand stated that such negotiations are not taking place.