Georgian Dream Party Faces Accusations of Election Rigging After Parliamentary Victory

Protestors hold Georgian and EU flags at a protest of the parliamentary elections in Tbilisi, Georgia on Monday, Oct 28. Photo: Shakh Aivazov, AP News

On Oct. 26, Georgia’s ruling pro-Russian Dream Party won 54% of the vote in a highly contested parliamentary election. Georgian citizens, the opposition party, and Western officials have alleged the election was rigged with the help of Russia.

A report by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) observed that the election was marred by intimidation, coercion, double voting, and vote buying, particularly in rural areas. This was based on analyzing voting policy changes and 439 complaints from observer groups and party representatives to the District Election Commissions on election day.

Tens of thousands of Georgians protested the results of the election outside of the Tbilisi Parliament on Monday night, supported by Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, who told the crowd the election was an “unprecedented, pre-planned operation that robbed us of our votes, our parliament, and our constitution.”

Zourabichvili told AP News that Russian propaganda was widely used to influence the election and the Georgian government has been “working hand-in-hand with Russia.”

The Unity National Movement Coalition said the opposition will refuse to enter negotiations with the Dream Party and demand a new vote. 

Protesters waved Georgian and EU flags, as the Dream Party’s victory represented a step backward from Georgia’s EU candidacy. The party, established by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a billionaire with strong Russian ties has vowed to push for EU ascension but its recent democratic backsliding has caused delays. 

Georgia was granted EU candidate status in December 2023, but the process was suspended in July after Georgia passed its “Foreign Agents” bill which limits media freedom by requiring NGOs and media outlets with over 20% of funding coming from international sources to disclose sensitive information or face steep fines. 

The bill has been dubbed the “Russian law” for its similarities to Kremlin censorship laws and led to protests of over 50,000 Georgians that were met with violent police crackdowns. 

In a statement issued by the White House on Wednesday, President Joe Biden called for Georgia to repeal this law and “begin an immediate, inclusive dialogue with all political forces in Georgia about restoring election integrity.”

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili speaks to a crowd during the opposition protest in Tbilisi, Georgia, Monday, Oct. 28. Photo: Zurab Tsertsvadze, AP News

The European Commission on Parliamentary Elections and the EU’s high representative Josep Borrell also released a statement calling for Georgia to “swiftly, transparently and independently investigate and adjudicate electoral irregularities and allegations thereof.”

The Georgian Prosecutor’s office announced on Oct. 30 that it was commencing an investigation into the alleged rigging of the election. However, the opposition argued that the Prosecutor’s office, which is appointed by the Dream Party-dominated parliament, is influenced by Ivanishvili, and called for an international investigation. 

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov denied that Russia had interfered with the vote and accused those dismissing the results of attempting to disrupt Georgia. Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban also came out against the EU’s skepticism of Georgian election results, calling the vote, “free and democratic.” 

Russian interference has become a routine threat to global elections. On Oct. 20, Moldova only narrowly passed a referendum supporting the country’s EU accession in an election the president said was marred by “unprecedented” Russian meddling. Russian disinformation campaigns are also pervasive in the US. Cyber threats are expected to ramp up, necessitating increased vigilance to fact-check and protect election integrity.