UNM opposition may lose majority in Zugdidi city assembly after recount of votes
Zugdidi city assembly was the only in which the United National Movement opposition party appeared in majority after the first round of the October 2 municipal elections.
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The United National Movement (UNM) opposition party may not be able to form a majority in Zugdidi city assembly in western Georgia after a recent recount of invalid ballot papers in four polling stations per the request of the Georgian Dream (GD) ruling party.
After the recount of the invalid ballot papers late yesterday, the GD majoritarian candidate received more votes than the UNM candidate, who earlier had two votes more and was declared as a winner after the first round of municipal elections on October 2.
One majoritarian run-off in Zugdidi on October 30 will make it clear whether the UNM will be able to form a majority in the city assembly.
Zugdidi city assembly is composed of 45 members.
Election run-offs will take place in 20 of 64 mayoral and majoritarian constituencies on October 30. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
After the first round of elections, the UNM received 22 of the 45 seats (one deducted after the recent recount of votes), the GD got 19 seats and ex-PM Giorgi Gakharia’s For Georgia party received three seats.
The runoff will be held in the fourth election constituency of Zugdidi between the UNM and the GD candidates at the end of the month.
If the UNM loses the race or it fails to make a coalition with the For Georgia party, it will not be able to form the majority.
The UNM claims that the recount of the votes took place with violations and has plans to file a complaint to the country’s Chief Prosecutor's Office, while the GD says that the recount of votes took place with the presence of observers.
Lithuanian members of European parliament (MEP) Andrius Kubilius and Rasa Jukneviciene call on all Georgian political forces ‘to start building bridges enabling normal democratic political dialogue, return to the pro-European reform track and focus on achieving very much needed progress in country’s development for the benefit of the Georgian people’.
According to the final results of the first round in the race, the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party received 46.74 per cent of the vote, the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party received 30.68 per cent of the vote while ex-PM Giorgi Gakharia’s For Georgia party garnered 7.79 per cent of the vote.
Former prime minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia has proposed trilateral talks between his For Georgia, the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party and the United National Movement (UNM) opposition to compose city assemblies ‘in a balanced manner.’
MEP Marina Kaljurand says that Georgians’ refusal to take to the street after the country’s ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili’s recent calls was a ‘signal’ for her that the ex-president has lost his power. Kaljurand stated during yesterday’s online conference organised by the Georgian Institute of Politics that Saakashvili violated the law when he returned to Georgia ahead of the October 2 municipal elections and that his return after eight years in political exile allegedly had an influence on the electoral process.
Head of the United National Movement (UNM) opposition party Nika Melia has called on party supporters in Zugdidi, western Georgia, to join a rally tomorrow to protest the recent recount of votes which may leave the party without the chance to form a majority in Zugdidi city assembly.