Georgia’s ruling party leads election race but it’s unclear who will form next government

Georgian oligarch and founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party Bidzina Ivanishvili gives a speech during a gathering at the party’s headquarters after exit polls were announced during parliamentary elections in Tbilisi on October 26, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AFP

Georgia’s Central Election Commission said Saturday the ruling Georgian Dream party won 52.99% of the vote after the parliamentary election in the South Caucasus country.

The CEC said the announcement was preliminary after 97% of the electronic vote was counted. Georgians voted inside the country electronically, and using paper ballots.

Not all votes cast by Georgians abroad have been counted. Earlier Saturday, opposition parties claimed victory.

If Georgian Dream wins a parliamentary majority, it will stoke fears about the country’s bid for EU membership which was put on hold earlier this year by Brussels after the ruling party passed laws cracking down on freedom of speech.