Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has publicly announced the opposition’s victory following initial exit polls from the country’s parliamentary elections. Her statement came shortly after exit polls suggested a potential win for the opposition, which she shared on her official social media platform, X (formerly Twitter).
In her post, Zourabichvili declared that the united opposition was leading with a projected 52% of the vote, despite alleged attempts to manipulate election outcomes and an absence of ballots from the Georgian diaspora.
European Georgia is winning with 52 % despite attempts to rigg elections and without votes from the diaspora 👍🇬🇪🇪🇺
— Salome Zourabichvili (@Zourabichvili_S) October 26, 2024
She praised the Georgian electorate for their dedication to democratic principles and European values, stating, “Georgia has demonstrated democracy, European spirit, and maturity… I am proud and confident in our European future.”
The election has seen sharply divided projections, with three key exit polls reflecting contrasting forecasts. Two polls commissioned by opposition-aligned television networks predict a victory for the united opposition, with estimates ranging slightly over the 50% threshold or at approximately 48%. In contrast, an exit poll by Gorbi, commissioned by the pro-government “Imedi” TV channel, suggests a strong lead for the ruling “Georgian Dream” party, claiming it secured more than 56% of the vote.
“Georgian Dream” party leaders have already announced their victory, doing so before the official Central Election Commission (CEC) results were released. Following this, the CEC provided preliminary figures from around 70% of the voting precincts, showing “Georgian Dream” with a lead of approximately 53%.
The unfolding situation indicates a tense electoral landscape in Georgia, with both major factions claiming dominance as official results remain pending.
