Georgia

President's party claims victory in Georgian elections

Article published on the 2008-05-22 Latest update 2008-05-23 09:37 TU

Mikheïl Saakachvili
Photo: Reuters

Georgian President Mikheil's Saakashvili party has won parliamentary polls with 59.5 per cent of the vote, the Central Election Commission announced on Friday. In reaction to the result, Georgia's opposition, which officials say received 17.7 per cent threatened protests and a parliamentary boycott.

 

The main opposition bloc, which took 18 per cent according to earlier incomplete results, stepped up criticism of what it says was a rigged poll.  Some opposition figures have called for a rally on Monday, raising fears of renewed political instability.

 

The elections were closely watched by international observers, following a crackdown on opposition protests last November.

 

Saakhashvili has been pushing for Georgia to join Nato, to try bolster the country in a standoff with Russia, and has been told to prove his democratic credentials in this election.

 

Rebels in two separatist Georgian regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, have support from Russia.

 

Observers from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) identified problems with the vote, including intimidation of voters. It said that international standards had been implemented in an "uneven and incomplete" fashion.

But the OSCE also said there had been substantial progress since  Saakashvili won the presidential poll in January this year. Lithuania and Poland said that reports from their observers led them to believe that "Georgia has passed the democracy exam"; the presidents of the two countries called for Georgia to be supported in its application for EU and NATO integration.

The EU itself was positive but reserved. The EU commissioner for external relations, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, described the vote as "not perfect" but showing "substantial progress".