The end of the Georgian dream?

Georgia was the last time the president chose a direct vote and for the first time could not do it at a time

For the first time, Georgia failed to choose the president in the first round - none of the candidates gained more than 50 percent of the vote. The gap between the two main rivals amounted to less than one percent. Salome Zurabishvili - a formally independent candidate supported by the authorities, gained 38.64%. Her rival Grigol Vashadze - he represents the opposition “national movement”, which the rule in Georgia during the presidency of Mikhail Saakashvili was supported by 37.74% of voters.

According to the eczitpols, which were published in the headquarters of the ruling party shortly after the closing of the plots, Zurabishvili gained 52 percent. In her headquarters, they celebrated the victory until the first results from the CEC were received. In Tbilisi, a concert was planned in honor of President Zurabishvili, they even managed to set the stage, but closer to midnight - when the second round became obvious - it had to be made out.

The second round should be held until December 2.

The three obvious leaders of the presidential race included:

• Salome Zurabishvili, an independent candidate supported by the ruling party;

• Grigol Vashadze, representing the opposition “national movement”, which is the rule in Georgia during the presidency of Mikhail Saakashvili;

• David Bakradze is also an opposition from the European Georgia party, it appeared as a result of a split in the National Movement.

Zurabishvili's election program is focused on social protection (old people, disabled people, homemade violence), she also promises to help migrants return to her homeland and employment.

One of the key election promises of Vashadze is the way out of the political crisis, which he sees in early parliamentary elections and the formation of a new coalition government. The candidate also promises to reduce bureaucratic expenses and increase the salary of teachers.

David Bakradze, who had fallen from the struggle for the post of president,, in addition to the usual set of social promises, said that he would increase funding for foreign educational programs and ensure legal employment to Georgia citizens abroad.

Bakradze called on his voters to vote for Vashadze in the second round. Many Georgian experts are convinced that the electorate will follow this call.

It is noteworthy that both of the candidate who entered the second round are personnel diplomats, who at different times headed the Georgian Foreign Ministry. Both Zurabishvili and Vashadze came to Georgia at the invitation of President Saakashvili: he is from Moscow, she is from Paris.

Salome Zurabishvili - the granddaughter of Georgian emigrants who fled from the Bolsheviks, she was born and grew up in France. Vashadze is a native of Tbilisi, who, after school, went to study at MGIMO, then worked in the Soviet Foreign Ministry and studied in graduate school in Moscow. Unlike Vashadze, who is still a faithful ally of Saakashvili, Zurabishvili quickly spoiled the relationship with him and went to the opposition.

During the election campaign, both candidates were accused of "pro -Russian."

Vashadze rivals cannot forgive this candidate of the Moscow part of his biography, and Zurabishvili is accused of protecting the interests of the Kremlin after her statements that Georgia began the Georgian-Russian war in August 2008. This is extremely unpopular and for many in Georgia a painful version.

According to political scientist Ramaz Sakvarelidze, the outcome of the second round depends on the appearance of voters. “The outcome of the second round will mainly depend on the passive part of the voters - whether they will go to the polls and whom they will support,” Sakvarelidze told the Caucasian Knot.

The political observer Gela Vasadze believes that the opposition managed to win enough the sympathy of the voter, and the second round will most likely confirm this.

“It is completely unequivocal that supporters of Bakradze [who gained about 10 percent of the vote] will vote behind Vashadze, his asset is ready to work for the general victory of the opposition. As for politicians of the second row, supporters of some of them will vote for Zurabishvili, but most of them will give a voice for Vashadze, ”Vasadze said in an interview with Mediaseti.

The publicist Zaal Andronikashvili believes that for most Georgian voters, neither the party program nor the identity of politicians is of particular importance.

“They do not see parties and candidates who would protect their interests, and therefore it is not so important for whom to give their vote for, it is more important to punish the government,” said Andronikashvili Jamnews.

“In the elections, they include an“ emergency regime ”, in which the task boils down to maintaining a democratic minimum,” he added, explaining why the disappointed are ready to vote for an opposition candidate, perhaps not sharing his political views.

The current elections are the last direct elections of the president. Since 2024, it will be chosen by an election board consisting of 300 delegates.

The Georgian president can still have mercy on convicts, provide Georgian citizenship and represent the country in the international arena, but all steps should be agreed with the government. The president is authorized to appoint local, parliamentary and early elections.

Despite the fact that the first person in Georgia is the Prime Minister, the president’s post is also important-especially in the current circumstances, according to political scientist Hatun Lazazidze. - If Vashadze wins, he will immediately appoint early parliamentary elections, and the Georgian Dream will simply break up. This will become the end of the current government. ”

Diana Petriasili , "MediaSet"