Election Date: January 5, 2008

Abstract: At stake: President

At stake: President

Background

A neighbour of Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia, Georgia proclaimed its independence from the Soviet Union on Apr. 6, 1991. The country was transformed into a large industrial and urban center during its time as a Soviet republic.

After gaining independence, Georgia struggled with bringing a civil democracy to its feet. In 1995, Eduard Shevardnadze, who had served as the Soviet Union’s foreign minister under Mikhail Gorbachev, became president.

In 1994, Georgia signed a cooperation treaty with Russia authorizing three Russian military bases on Georgian soil. The deal also included allowing Russians to train and equip the Georgian army.

Throughout the decade, Georgia fought separatist drives from the southern region of South Ossetia and the province of Abkhazia. In 1996, the government signed a deal to stop hostilities with South Ossetia.

In April 1997, the legislature pressed Russia to stop helping Abkhazia and South Ossetia. These two territories remain outside the control of the central government to this day and are ruled by de facto, unrecognized governments, supported by Russia.

In the 2000, the pro-Western Shevardnadze was re-elected with 80 per cent of the vote in a presidential election seen by international observers as marred by irregularities and fraud.

The 2003 legislative ballot marked the beginning of new political instability in Georgia. On Jul. 7, Shevardnadze accepted a proposal from the United States government to reform Georgia’s electoral commission, thereby ensuring fair parliamentary elections. The recommendation—tabled by former U.S. state secretary James Baker—was regarded as a positive step. In late-July, the Georgian Parliament rejected the new composition of the country’s electoral commission, and criticism against Shevardnadze continued.

With Shevarnadze’s low popularity, and rifts that led to the disintegration of the ruling Citizen’s Union (SMK), government backers did not expect a positive outcome. The presence of 22 contending parties left no political organization with a majority in Parliament. After the Nov. 2 vote was completed, international observers led by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) expressed dissatisfaction over the “spectacular failures of the electoral administration.”

Opposition organizations staged demonstrations in Tbilisi for several days, beginning on Nov. 4. The government rejected accusations of vote-rigging, claiming the count was slow because ballots had to be gathered in remote areas.

The Georgian Supreme Court partially annulled the November vote, which finally led to the resignation of president Shevardnadze after opposition politicians requested his dismissal over electoral fraud.

The country chose former justice minister and opposition leader Mikhail Saakashvili as its new head of state on Jan. 4, 2004. The old medieval flag of Georgia was also re-adopted.

Saakashvili promised to seek better diplomatic relations with Russia while continuing with Georgia’s pro-Western orientation.
Georgian citizens headed to the polls again on Mar. 28, this time to allocate 150 proportional representation seats in Parliament. The results of the Nov. 2, 2003 election in the 85 single-seat constituencies were allowed to stand. Saakashvili’s coalition garnered 67.02 per cent of all cast ballots, followed by the Industrialists-New Rights alliance with 7.62 per cent.

Click Here for Georgia’s 2004 Legislative Election Tracker

Georgia is of strategic importance to the international community due to its participation in the ambitious Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, which runs from Azerbaijan through Georgia to Turkey. The pipeline opened in July 2006.

Georgia is currently working to become a full member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). The country could become a member as early as 2009.

On Nov. 7, 2007, thousands of protesters took to the street in front of Georgia’s Parliament building to ask for the president’s resignation and an early presidential election. After a harsh confrontation between riot police and demonstrators, Saakashvili declared a national state of emergency for a period of 15 days. He later scheduled an early presidential ballot for January 2008, but refused to resign to his post.

The incident prompted the reaction of several political leaders around the world who had counted on Saakashvili as a Western-style politician. Heads of state, including the United States’ George W. Bush, called for the president to end the state of emergency and condemned the government’s use of force against protesters.

2008 Presidential Election

The ballot is scheduled to take place on Jan. 5. Georgian voters will not only elect a president, but also vote on a referendum on whether the country should hold an early legislative election.

Observers have expressed concerns over the government’s grip on the media and the state’s resources and think this could give it an unfair advantage over opposition parties.

Levan Gachechiladze, an independent lawmaker, will be the opposition’s candidate to run against Saakashvili. Still, some opposition leaders have said they might boycott the poll.

On Nov. 14, the united opposition had tabled three conditions for free and fair elections: allowing two closed TV channels, Imedi and Kavkasia, to resume broadcasting; establishing election commissions on all levels with equal representation from the opposition and the government; and ending the alleged persecution of prominent figures associated with the opposition demonstration in Tbilisi that was dispersed by force by the government on Nov. 7.

Also on Nov. 14, opposition leaders issued a written statement, which read: “We believe that the mass violation of human rights and restrictions on free media will undermine the possibility of holding a free and democratic election, which, in turn, will reinforce the existing political crisis in the country. (…) We are willing to continue dialogue with (the government), but only if they have the political willingness to immediately resolve these problems.”

On Nov. 15, parliamentary deputy speaker Mikheil Machavariani accused “some opposition groups” of being “radical”, saying, “Part of the opposition parties is still using the language of ultimatums. Their demands are becoming more and more radical in parallel to our compromises.”

Also on Nov. 15, Republican Party leader Davit Usupashvili raised the possibility that a 10-party opposition coalition would not participate in the election if the government can’t guarantee an equitable electoral environment. Usupashvili declared: “We are for the elections. In this very problematic situation we have named a candidate.” He also stated that if the current situation does not improve, the coalition’s position might consider a boycott, adding, “We will [have to] think: are we participating in elections or is this some sort of show?”

The united opposition’s platform is based on a promise that their candidate—if elected—will remain in power only until the next legislative ballot. They also want that democratic process to transform Georgia into a parliamentary republic.

On Nov. 16, the state of emergency was lifted, and Saakashvili appointed Vladimir Gurgenidze—an influential banker—as prime minister, saying, "We have a new force, new energy and motivation." On Nov. 22, Gurgenidze’s nomination was approved by the legislature and he became Georgia’s third prime minister during Saakashvili’s tenure, replacing Zurab Nogaideli.

On Nov. 25, Saakashvili resigned to become a presidential candidate. Parliament speaker Nino Burdzhanadze took over as acting president.

On Dec. 11, the final list of seven presidential candidates was released. Along with Saakashvili and Gachechiladze, the candidates include businessman Badri Patarkatsishvili, New Right faction leader David Gamkrelidze, Labour Party leader Shalva Natelashvili, Future of Georgia leader Giya Maisashvili, and Irina Sarishvili of the Imedi political movement.

On Jan. 2, 2008, Natelashvili called on the president to take part in a televised debate, saying, “People should decide who is right and who is wrong between me and Saakashvili after a 13-year-old rivalry between us.”

On Jan. 4, Gachechiladze expressed dissatisfaction with the campaign, saying, “The election process has not been democratic, and cannot be considered fair or legitimate. It’s impossible that the vote will be fair. It will likely be rigged in Mr. Saakashvili’s favour.”

Also on Jan. 4, Saakashvili justified his actions during the November protests, saying, “It’s not about us alienating the vast majority of people. But it’s about us alienating some part of post-Soviet elite, it’s about alienating people who suffered because of reforms, but there wasn’t any other way to make this country without those reforms.”

A national survey by ACT Research Ltd. and Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research suggested a first round victory for Saakashvilii, while a poll of Tbilisi residents by Rezonansi placed Gachechiladze as the most popular candidate.

Voting took place on Jan. 5. Saakashvili’s campaign spokesman Davit Bakradze said an exit poll pointed to a victory for the incumbent president with 53.8 per cent of the vote, adding, “This clearly indicates the elections were successful. (...) We call on all our opponents to accept the results of this election.” Gachechiladze refused to concede, declaring, “Today we actually won in almost every precinct, according to our information.”

Final results gave Saakashvili 53.47 per cent of the vote, enough for a first round victory. He was sworn in for a new term on Jan. 20.

Political Players

President: Mikhail Saakashvili

The president is elected to a five-year term by popular vote.

Legislative Branch: The Sak'art'velos Parlamenti (Parliament of Georgia) has 235 members, elected to four-year terms. 85 seats are elected in single-seat constituencies, and 150 seats by proportional representation.

Results of Last Election:

President - Jan. 5, 2008

	Vote%
Mikhail Saakashvili	53.47%
Levan Gachechiladze	25.69%
Badri Patarkatsishvili	7.10%
Shalva Natelashvili	6.49%
David Gamkrelidze	4.02%
Giya Maisashvili	0.77%
Irina Sarishvili	0.16%
Against all candidates	1.67%
Invalid votes	0.61%

Parliament (Single-Seat Constituencies) - Nov. 2, 2003

	Seats
For A New Georgia	19
National Movement-Democratic Front	17
Bloc Right Opposition - Industrialists - Novas Industry Will Save Georgia New Rights Political Union	8
Democratic Revival Union	6
Labour Party of Georgia	4
Independents / Non-partisans	20
Representatives from Abhkazia in exile	10
==Vacant seat from Tchiatura==	1

Note: The Georgian Supreme Court partially annulled the Nov. 2, 2003 parliamentary vote. Results from the 85 single-seat constituencies were allowed to stand, but a new vote to allocate the remaining 150 proportional representation seats was scheduled for Mar. 28, 2004.

Parliament (Proportional Representation) - Mar. 28, 2004

	Vote%	Seats
National Movement-Democratic Front	67.02%	135
Bloc Right Opposition - Industrialists - Novas Industry Will Save Georgia New Rights Political Union	7.62%	15
Democratic Revival Union	6.02%	--
Labour Party of Georgia	5.81%	--
Political Movement Tavisupleba (Freedom)	4.23%	--
NDP—Traditionalists National Democratic Party Union of Georgia Traditionalists	2.52%	--
Bloc Jumber Patiashvili Political Union Ertoba (Unity) League of Intellectuals of Georgia	2.41%	--
Socialist Party of Georgia	0.47%	--
Nationalists	0.27%	--
==Against All Candidates==	0.20%	--
Party of Democratic Truth	0.15%	--
Party Nodar Natadze People's Front	0.15%	--
National Revival	0.11%	--
National-State Union of Georgia Mdzleveli	0.05%	--
United Communist Party of Georgia	0.04%	--
Election Block Samsholo (Motherland) Conservative (Monarchist) Party of Georgia Conservative Party of Georgia	0.03%	--
Party of National Ideology of Georgia	0.03%	--
Georgian People's Alliance	0.03%	--
Samartlianoba (Justice)	0.01%	--
Party of Protection of Constitutional Rights	0.00%	--

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