Georgia's ruling party wins constitutional majority
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 1 November 2016 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Georgia's ruling party wins constitutional majority, 1 November 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5975a1b83.html [accessed 5 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Last Updated: November 01, 2016
Georgian President Georgy Margvelashvili casts his ballot during the second round of parliamentary elections in Tbilisi on October 30.
Georgia's ruling political party, Georgian Dream, has secured a constitutional majority in the second round of parliamentary elections held on October 30.
The party garnered 115 of the 150 seats in Georgia's parliament, the Central Election Commission said on October 31.
The United National Movement, founded by self-exiled former President Mikheil Saakashvili, won 27 seats, and the Alliance of Patriots of Georgia won six seats in parliament.
Both Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia and its main opponent, the United National Movement, are claiming to be pro-Western, seeking better relations with NATO and the EU.
In the first round, which was held on October 8, Georgian Dream won 48.68 percent of the vote in a proportional ballot, while the United National Movement came in second with 27.11 percent.
The Central Election Commission said the runoff elections were held "in a generally calm and free atmosphere, without any flagrant violations."
The White House congratulated the voters of Georgia and noted that the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said the vote was carried off "in a manner that respected the rights of candidates and voters."
However, White House National Security Council spokesman Ned Price said that the United States is "concerned . . . about isolated incidents of violence and intimidation and urges accountability as well as a thorough and balanced investigation in accordance with the rule of law."
With reporting by dpa
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
