IRI polls: 61% of voters focused on economic issues ahead of elections, third undecided on favourites
IRI says that no party has a clear lead in the upcoming election, but there is potential to make headway with voters by addressing economic issues. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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An International Republican Institute (IRI) poll released late yesterday reads that with the 2020 parliamentary elections less than a year away, a clear front-runner has yet to emerge.
Because 61 percent of voters are focused on economic policies in the run-up to the election and a third are undecided on their first choice, political parties that develop coherent and appealing economic platforms will be best positioned to form a parliamentary majority,” the polls say.
80 per cent of respondents ranked economic concerns such as unemployment, the cost of living and poverty as their top national concerns.
These issues are the most prevalent concerns at the personal level as well, with 50 per cent of respondents claiming unemployment, low salaries, poverty and the general economy as their largest concerns at home. Moreover, the majority of respondents (59 per cent) identify economic issues as having the greatest potential to stymie democratic development in Georgia," IRI says.
IRI says that 78 percent of Georgians who were aware of the proposed change to a fully proportional system for parliamentary elections were in favor of the proposed switch.
Additionally, 58 percent of all Georgians surveyed believe that a change to a fully proportional parliamentary [system] would positively affect Georgia’s democratic development.”
The leader of the European Georgia opposition party David Bakradze (57%), Tbilisi Mayor Kakhi Kaladze (49%) and former parliament Speaker, now the leader of the Movement of Building David Usupashvili (47%) are the most liked politicians in the polls, while President Salome Zurabishvili (70%), the leader of the Girchi Party Zurab Japaridze (66%) and opposition leaders Irma Inashvili, Gigi Ugulava and Nino Burjanadze (59 per cent each) are the least liked.
57 per cent of respondents expressed dislike for the founder and head of the ruling Georgian Dream party Bidzina Ivanishvili, while 32 per cent liked him.
The polls read that public support for NATO and EU membership within Georgia has increased in the last six months from 68 percent to 71 percent, and 75 percent to 80 percent, respectively.
This support appears to be motivated by the perceived security and economic benefits associated with NATO and the EU.”
The army (86 per cent), church (85 %), Georgian media (72%) and police (59%) are the most trusted institutions in the country, the polls say.
- Fieldwork for this poll was conducted by the Institute of Polling and Marketing and data was collected between September 11 and October 14, 2019.
- The sample consisted of 1,500 permanent residents of Georgia aged 18 or older and eligible to vote. The margin of error for this survey does not exceed +/- 2.5 percent, and the response rate was 69 percent.
- This survey was made possible by the support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
A recently released IRI polls read that 26 per cent of those surveyed would vote for the Georgian Dream ruling party (GD) and 22 per cent for the United National Movement (UNM) opposition if the elections were held tomorrow. Leader of the European Georgia opposition David Bakradze and Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze from GD were ranked the most liked politicians.
The President of the International Republican Institute (IRI) Daniel Twining recommends political powers in Georgia to start preparing for the 2020 parliamentary elections instead of organising protest rallies.
The International Republican Institute (IRI) has today released its findings and recommendations ahead of the October 8 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia, stressing the pre-election environment is calmer and more deliberate than in 2012 under the previous government.
Georgians continue to want deeper ties to the democratic community, and the overwhelming majority of the country is for the European Union (EU) and NATO integration.
US says National Democratic Institute (NDI), the International Republican Institute (IRI), other non-partisan organisations help strengthen Georgian democracy.
US Congressman Eliot Engel, who is also the chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives, issued a statement in support of the National Democratic Institute (NDI) and the International Republican Institute (IRI).
The International Republican Institute (IRI) released its recent poll today, which says 33% of those surveyed would vote for the ruling Georgian Dream party if parliamentary elections were to be held this coming Sunday, while 16% said they would rather vote for the opposition United National Movement (UNM) party.
The election polls conducted by British company Survation,commissioned by Georgian Rustavi 2 TV channel, says that the Ruling Georgian Dream party will receive 52 per cent of votes in the October parliamentary elections.