Georgia president rejects election results sparks protests and crisis
By Damsana Ranadhiran
Tbilisi, Georgia -President Salome Zourabichvili announced her refusal to recognize the results of Georgia’s national parliamentary election held this past Saturday, sparking a political crisis.
This unusual stance has sent shockwaves throughout the nation and the international community, with Zourabichvili calling on Georgian citizens to join protests against what she condemned as a “Russian-style” election fraught with alleged fraud and rigging.
The ruling Georgian Dream party, according to official counts, won nearly 54 percent of the vote, with opposition groups trailing significantly, capturing between 3 percent and 11 percent.
Nevertheless, the president has been unwavering in her opposition to the legitimacy of these results, citing alleged “attempts to rig elections” in favor of Georgian Dream and declaring that the true victors were what she described as “European Georgia,” a coalition of pro-Western parties.
President Zourabichvili has leveled serious accusations against the Georgian Dream party, characterizing their victory as a “constitutional coup.” She also warned that Georgia’s future as a pro-European democracy hangs in the balance, asserting that the election undermined the nation’s hopes for closer ties with Europe.
Her claim that Georgia is the target of “a Russian special operation” reflects a broader concern that Moscow may be exerting influence over Georgian politics, potentially using Georgian Dream as a vehicle to promote pro-Russian policies and derail the country’s pro-European aspirations.
The opposition parties quickly echoed the president’s sentiments. Major opposition groups, including the Unity-National Movement (UNM) and the Coalition for Change, have vowed not to take their seats in the newly elected parliament.
UNM leader Tina Bokuchava emphasized this resolve, pledging to “fight like never before” to have the election overturned. The president convened a series of meetings with opposition leaders on Sunday, which Bokuchava described as “very important” in the coordination of opposition efforts against Georgian Dream.
The solidarity between Zourabichvili and Georgia’s opposition parties signals a rare unity in their mission to challenge the election’s legitimacy.
On October 27, Zourabichvili held what she termed an “emergency briefing” where she announced her decision to reject the election results. During her address, she lambasted the Georgian Dream’s alleged manipulation of the electoral process, describing it as “total fraud.”
She went further by branding the election a “Russian election,” drawing a direct parallel to Moscow’s influence in Georgia and what she believes to be a subversion of Georgian sovereignty.
Zourabichvili’s critique extends beyond her personal convictions; she has presented herself as the “only independent institution left” in a political landscape she perceives as increasingly dominated by foreign interference.“I did not come to this country for this,” she declared, reflecting on her path to the presidency and the national crises she now faces.
A former French diplomat, Zourabichvili was born in Paris and worked for France’s Foreign Ministry before gaining Georgian citizenship in 2004.
Shortly afterward, she was appointed as Georgia’s top diplomat, a post she held for a brief period before transitioning to Georgian politics.
Her foreign background and European alignment have shaped her vision for Georgia’s future, which she asserts is threatened by the current administration’s alleged deference to Russian interests.
The president’s claim of a “Russian special operation” is not without precedent in Georgian politics, given the fraught history between the two nations.
Russia has exerted influence over Georgia, particularly following the 2008 war over the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Zourabichvili’s latest rhetoric, however, raises the stakes by implicating Georgian Dream in a Russian plot to steer Georgia away from its pro-European trajectory.
She implored her compatriots to stand firm in protest, asserting that “we must stand together and declare that we do not recognize these elections.”
Her appeals also extended to the international community, urging foreign governments to “protect Georgia” by refusing to recognize Georgian Dream’s authority and to support Georgia’s European aspirations.
Her call to action prompted a sharp rebuttal from Georgian Dream officials. Party chairman MamukaMdinaradze responded forcefully, accusing Zourabichvili of acting as “an agent” and a “leader of the radical opposition.”
He denounced her refusal to accept the election results as undemocratic and divisive, countering that the Georgian Dream has secured a significant mandate with an anticipated 90 seats in Georgia’s 150-seat national assembly.
Under Georgian law, this majority would grant the party the authority to form a new government, including the appointment of the next prime minister and cabinet.
Mdinaradze’s remarks underscore the party’s dismissal of Zourabichvili’s protests and their commitment to moving forward with their political agenda despite the president’s denunciations.
For many Georgians, the president’s accusations and the opposition’s boycott reflect a deeper schism within the country. Georgia has long been seen as a “frontier state” between Europe and Russia, with both powers vying for influence.
Georgian Dream’s critics argue that the party’s victory signals a shift towards Russia, jeopardizing years of progress in aligning Georgia with European values and norms.
According to Zourabichvili and the opposition, the election results represent more than just a political setback; they symbolize the potential erosion of Georgia’s European ambitions, placing the country at risk of becoming a satellite within Russia’s sphere of influence.
However, Georgian Dream leaders have positioned themselves as pragmatic realists. They argue that while Georgia values its European partnerships, it cannot ignore the economic and geopolitical realities of its proximity to Russia.
In this view, Zourabichvili’s condemnation of the election as a Russian operation is seen as an overreach, stoking nationalist sentiments and needlessly inflaming tensions.
Zourabichvili’s call for public protests on October 28 may mark the beginning of a prolonged confrontation between the government and a president who has chosen to break ranks.
With opposition leaders also committed to resisting the election results, Georgia faces a potentially turbulent period. If the protests gain traction, the international community will likely be watching closely.
Zourabichvili’s appeal to foreign powers to refrain from recognizing the new government could rally support among Western allies who view Georgia as a bastion of pro-democracy values in an often authoritarian region.
At the same time, the possibility of international intervention remains uncertain. Many Western nations, while sympathetic to Georgia’s European aspirations, may be cautious about openly supporting a sitting president’s call to undermine a newly elected government.
Such support could be perceived as meddling in Georgia’s internal affairs, a precedent that could have broader implications across Eastern Europe and the Caucasus.
As Georgia prepares for a new wave of protests, the stakes for its political future are high. President Zourabichvili’s refusal to recognize the election results has exposed deep divisions within the nation, with questions of foreign influence and democratic integrity at the forefront.
Whether this political crisis will push Georgia further into Russia’s orbit or reinforce its commitment to European integration remains to be seen.
What is clear, however, is that the outcome of this standoff will have lasting implications for Georgia’s identity, sovereignty, and place on the global stage.
