Supporters of the Georgia Dream Party celebrate at the party’s headquarters after the exit poll results for the parliamentary election in Tbilisi, Georgia, were announced on October 26, 2024.
Irakli Gardens | Reuters
Georgia’s ruling and opposition parties claimed victory in Saturday’s parliamentary election, which they say will determine whether the former Soviet republic moves toward the West or toward Russia during the war in Ukraine.
Rival exit polls gave wildly different predictions for the election. One survey showed a comfortable victory for the ruling party, which has recently shifted to pro-Russian rhetoric, while two other polls suggested the opposition would secure a majority.
Exit polls conducted by the Imedi TV channel, which supports the Georgian Dream, showed the ruling party winning by 56%.
But exit polls for the pro-opposition Formula and Mtavari Arkhi channels showed significant gains for pro-Western opposition parties, which they believe will be able to form a majority in the 150-seat parliament.
All three television channels showed their respective candidates clapping in celebration of victory.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze speaks after the release of exit poll results for the parliamentary elections at the headquarters of the Georgian Dream party in Tbilisi, Georgia, on October 26, 2024.
Irakli Gardens | Reuters
Former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, the reclusive billionaire founder of the ruling party, declared victory.
“It is rare in the world for the same party to achieve such success in such difficult circumstances and it is a good indicator of the talent of the Georgian people,” Ivanishvili said minutes after the vote ended.
“I assure you that our country will achieve great success in the next four years,” Ivanishvili said.
Since coming to power in 2012, Georgian Dream has shifted to pro-Russian rhetoric in the past two years and has drawn the ire of Western allies over its increasingly authoritarian tendencies.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili – once an ally of the ruling party but later a fierce critic whose powers are mostly ceremonial – Georgia’s independent domestic election monitor claims The Dream Party engaged in widespread vote-buying and other forms of electoral abuse in the run-up to the vote.
Nika Melia and Nika Gvaramia, leaders of the Alliance for Change, and Nana, leader of the alliance’s parliamentary list, Tbilisi, Georgia, October 26, 2024 · Nana Malashkhia reacts after the results of the exit polls for the parliamentary elections were released.
Zurab Jawahaze | Reuters
Georgian Dream did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The opposition declared victory and said it was on track to win a majority. Early results are imminent and more comprehensive results should be available within hours.
“Despite attempts to rig the election and the absence of diaspora votes, European Georgia won with 52%,” Zourabichvili said on X.
Formula exit polls showed the ruling party would be the largest party, but the four main opposition parties would have a combined 83 seats.
Georgia’s four main opposition blocs are deeply divided and it is unclear whether they will be able to cooperate if Georgian Dream is deprived of its majority.
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