What’s Happening in Georgia?

— The ruling Georgian Dream party claims a 54% victory per initial Central Election Commission results, but opposition parties allege electoral manipulation, including voter intimidation and ballot tampering, calling it a “constitutional coup.”

— President Salome Zourabichvili has urged protests against "fraudulent election", warning that accepting the results aligns Georgia with Russian interests.

— Opposition leaders, especially from the United National Movement (UNM), reject the results, accusing Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili of orchestrating an anti-democratic process.

— The election arrives amid heightened scrutiny over Georgia’s ties to Russia and questions about its commitment to democratic principles and EU ambitions, framing this as a pivotal moment between European alignment or Russian influence.