Georgia's former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili (L) and Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili wave at a rally of Georgian Dream party after the parliamentary elections in Tbilisi, Georgia, October 8, 2016. The two main parties want European Union and Nato membership, though Georgian Dream also backs “pragmatic” links with Russia, which props up separatist rebels who control two regions that comprise about one-fifth of Georgia’s territory. Preliminary results showed that one pro-Russian party had a chance of entering parliament and it, like several parties including the UNM, accused Georgian Dream of major voting violations. Ivanishvili, who made his fortune in Russia, helped end UNM’s nine-year rule in 2012. He said his party had “won this election” and that now the “struggle goes into a decisive phase”. We have evidence of electoral fraud in favour of Georgian Dream, such as, for example, multiple voting.”

International monitors noted shortcomings before and during the vote, including violence and unbalanced media coverage and party funding, but the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe said “fundamental rights were respected during a competitive campaign and .
Voters in Georgia go to the polls for a legislative election.