Previously, opposition parties and their supporters marched from different parts of Tbilisi to the parliament building.
Several thousand people, including representatives of opposition parties and civil society, gathered on Sunday in Tbilisi outside the parliament building to protest the results of the parliamentary elections that took place on 31 October. The protest was broadcast live on the TV Pirveli channel.
“Today we are not standing here for mandates, parliamentary chairs or any particular group of people. We are standing here for free elections, for elections that have decided to take away from us, to which we all say: “No!” – said one of the leaders of the opposition party “European Georgia – Movement for Freedom” Elena Khoshtaria, who opened the rally.
The demonstration began at 15:00 local time (14:00 Moscow time). Before that, the opposition parties and their supporters marched from different points in Tbilisi to the parliament building. People from the regions also came to the demonstration. Due to the large number of protesters, the city authorities had to block Rustaveli Avenue, where the parliament is located. A video message from former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili is expected at the demonstration. Police outfits have been reinforced near the legislature building.
The protest action is also taking place in Batumi near the Drama Theatre.
For the first time in Georgia, elections were held under a mixed system: 120 deputies were elected under the proportional system and 30 under the majoritarian system. Previously, 77 deputies were elected under the proportional system, while 73 were elected under the majoritarian system. Forty-eight parties and two political blocs participated in the struggle for 150 seats. After processing all the ballots, the ruling party “Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia” gained 48.23% of the votes. In second place is the United Opposition “Strength in Unity” bloc, which includes Saakashvili’s “United National Movement” party. The bloc receives 27.18% of the votes.
Out of 30 single-mandate districts, 13 candidates from the “Georgian Dream” won the first round with more than 50% of the votes. The second round of elections will be held in 17 uninominal districts on 21 November. The opposition does not recognise the results of the vote, believing that the results are rigged, and refuses to be part of the new parliament.