Elections in Georgia – Will Protests Bring Results?

The Netherlands [ENA] Elections in Georgia – Will Protests Bring Results? In October, parliamentary elections were held in Georgia. This year, the elections were conducted through a fully proportional system, unlike the previous mixed system. For context, the Georgian Parliament has 150 seats. Since the formation of electoral blocs was prohibited, the opposition participated without any alliances.

According to many political analysts, this restriction benefited the ruling "Georgian Dream" party, which has been in power for 12 years. The opposition’s inability to unite provided an opportunity for the ruling party to consolidate its power, which was indeed reflected in the election outcome. “Georgian Dream” emerged victorious. Some consider the result to be fraudulent, while others see it as the Georgian people’s choice for peace.

"Georgian Dream" is known for its alignment with Russia. The victory of a pro-Russian party in Georgia, a country often regarded as pro-European within the Caucasus, is thought-provoking. Some political commentators believe that the opposition’s lack of a clear stance on relations with Russia and the West also impacted the election results. “Georgian Dream” claims to maintain relations with Moscow while also advancing towards European Union integration.

According to Georgia’s Central Election Commission, "Georgian Dream" received more than 54% of the votes. However, the Georgian president refused to recognize the results, citing widespread electoral fraud, and called on the Georgian people to protest. Will these protests lead to any change? Observing the events, it seems unlikely that the protests will yield significant results. In other words, protests may continue for a while, but eventually, everything is expected to return to the way it was. We will see how events unfold in the near future.