Georgia's Upcoming Elections: GD Faces Fragmented Opposition

Georgia's local elections, set for October 4, are becoming a battle between the ruling Georgian Dream party and a divided opposition.

Seventeen parties are registered to compete, though analysts are divided on whether the vote will be truly competitive, according to Rezonansi, The Caspian Post reports.

Supporters of the government point to the wide choice on the ballot, arguing that voters will have no obstacles in backing the candidate they prefer. Critics, however, note that many participating parties are little-known and have negligible public support, while several major opposition forces, including the largest opposition bloc, have opted to boycott the race entirely, citing concerns over fairness.

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has set an ambitious target: winning both the mayoral and council elections in all 64 municipalities. In Tbilisi, he says the ruling party’s candidate, current mayor Kakha Kaladze, could secure at least 60% of the vote against any opponent. Opposition-leaning analysts counter that such dominance is largely due to low turnout among anti-government voters, which they argue benefits Georgian Dream.

Among the opposition, the parties Lelo and For Georgia are seen as having the best chance of passing the election threshold and win a handful of council seats. Some political commentators suspect that certain minor parties exist mainly to create the appearance of competition, but government supporters dismiss the suggestion as unfounded.