29 Nov 2018 | 09:03 AM UTC
Georgia: Ruling Georgian Dream party wins presidential election /update 2
Salome Zurabishvili, candidate of the Georgian Dream party, wins the November 28 election; protests over the results possible
Event
Partial results published on Thursday, November 29, indicate that the ruling Georgian Dream party candidate, Salome Zurabishvili, won the second round of presidential elections, held November 28, with around 60 percent of the vote. However, opposition groups have denounced alleged irregularities; protests over the outcome of the election are therefore possible in the coming days.
Context
Results from the first round, held October 28, showed the two leading candidates - Zurabishvili and Grigol Vashadze of the United National Movement party - separated by less than one percentage point. Election monitors from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) have stated that the vote took place freely although actions on behalf of the campaigns leading up to the vote were "not always in line with the law."
Advice
Individuals in Georgia are advised to monitor developments to the situation and avoid all protests as a precaution.
