Georgian opposition prepares for street protests as ruling party wins almost 53% of votes

The turnout for Georgia's parliamentary elections reached 58.94% by 8:00 PM, with a total of 2,060,412 voters participating, according to Central Election Commission (CEC) spokesperson Natia Ioseliani.

In her briefing, she reported that voting concluded in a "generally calm and secure environment," though some incidents and technical issues were noted and promptly addressed according to legal protocol, Caliber.Az reports, citing Georgian media.

Preliminary results show the ruling party, Georgian Dream, leading with 52.98% of the vote based on 69.94% of ballots counted, as reported by the CEC on its website. Georgian Dream, also known as "People's Power," received 921,067 votes. Following the announcement of exit polls, the party celebrated with fireworks outside its headquarters in Tbilisi.

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze called the results a victory for the party and credited the Georgian people for the win.

"The primary authors of this victory are, of course, the Georgian people—over a million of our citizens came out to vote for peace and a truly bright, European future for our country. Congratulations!" he stated.

On this occasion, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán extended his congratulations to the ruling Georgian Dream party. In a social media post, he congratulated Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on the party's decisive win, adding, "The Georgian people know what is best for their country, and today their voices have been heard."

Meanwhile, the opposition Coalition for Change has rejected the election results, announcing plans for continuous protests starting October 27.

"These elections were stolen, and we will not accept this. We are transitioning to sustained protests, which will be organized and ongoing on the streets starting tomorrow," Coalition leader Elene Khoshtaria declared at a press conference,

Commenting on the voting results, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze, General Secretary of Georgian Dream, countered the opposition’s stance, asserting that the opposition lacks the public support needed for a coup or revolution.

"When you attempt a coup, you need the backing of society and the people. Today, the opposition—this radical group—has been defeated. Should anyone make illegal moves, the state will respond very firmly," Kaladze stated in a briefing.

By Khagan Isayev