Georgian president calls for new parliamentary elections

TBILISI: Georgian president Salome Zourabichvili wants parliamentary elections to be held anew in the country because in her opinion the results of the October 26 vote are illegitimate.

"When country-wide elections are not valid, the only thing to do is to hold them again as soon as possible," she said at a briefing, adding that otherwise the country will be looking at "destabilization and dual power."

She has also called on citizens to continue protesting the results of the October 26 parliamentary elections.

"Society must continue to stand up, to continue to protest, and not accept the results. I would like to hail the people who are standing outside today and who will likely be there all night. Above all, I would like to hail our students, because they are a force for progress in any country, leading their nation into the future," Zourabichvili stressed.

She noted that she is going to take her grievances up with the Constitutional Court, as she plans to file a lawsuit challenging the election results. "Tomorrow morning, I will file a suit with the Constitutional Court due to the violation of those two constitutional principles that concern the secrecy [of vote] and universal suffrage," the Georgian president concluded.

Election results

Parliamentary elections were held in Georgia on October 26, employing the widespread use of electronic ballot boxes for the first time. According to the Central Election Commission, the ruling Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party got 53.93% of the vote and secured 89 seats in the parliament out of 150. Four opposition parties cleared the five-percent threshold: Coalition for Change had 11.03% and 19 seats, Unity-National Movement — 10.17% and 16 seats, Strong Georgia — 8.81% and 14 seats, and Gakharia for Georgia — 7.78% and 12 seats.

All opposition parties that have entered parliament refuse to recognize the results of the elections because they believe the Central Election Commission's data was tampered with. Opposition leaders have been holding protest rallies since November 4.

-News Feed