TBILISI, DFWatch – A new survey gives the ruling National Movement party a comfortable lead ahead of the parliamentary election on October 1.

The survey shows in August, 37 percent of Georgians would vote for the National Movement, while only 12 percent would choose Bidzina Ivanishvili’s nine months old Georgian Dream coalition.

The previous month, the lead was less decisive: 36 to 18.

In the August survey, 22 percent say they don’t know, while 16 percent declined to give an answer, in National Democratic Institute’s (NDI) new party rating ( DOWNLOAD HERE ).

38 percent say the National Movement is closest to them, 14 percent say Georgian Dream coalition, 16 percent don’t know, 18 percent refuse to answer, while 9 percent say none of the parties are closest to them.

The survey suggests ratings for individuals, which shows that Vano Merabishvili, former Interior Minister and current Prime Minister has higher rating than Mikheil Saakashvili. Merabishvili’s rating has increased with seven percent since the last survey, Saakashvili’s with three percent. 62 percent likes Merabishvili, while 61 percent likes the President; 91 percent likes Georgia’s Patriarch. 39 percent likes Bidzina Ivanishvili, which is 7 percent less than in previous survey; 49 percent likes Giorgi Targamadze, leader of the Christian Democrat movement.

27 percent would support a candidate of the National Movement in the presidential election (22 percent in the previous survey), 12 percent would support Georgian Dream’s candidate (20 percent percent in the previous survey), 3 percent would vote for Giorgi Targamadze (4 percent in the previous survey). Interesting is that despite, Saakashvili served his two term-presidential 4 percent would still vote and like him as the next president.

NDI also looked closer at how various groups differ in their views on some issues.

87 percent out of supporters of the ruling party are positive to the appointing of Vano Merabishvili as prime minister, 6 percent see it as negative. 32 percent among Georgian Dream supporters are positive to the appointment, while 45 percent are negative. 21 percent don’t know.

69 percent of ruling party supporters say there is democracy in the country, 15 percent say there isn’t, 16 percent don’t know. 10 percent of Georgian Dream supporters say there is democracy in the country, 84 percent say no, while 6 percent don’t know.

Another question was about the USD 45 million fine issued to Bidzina Ivanishvili for illegal financing of the Georgian Dream coalition. 32 percent of National Movement supporters say this action by the State Audit Office was right, 18 percent say it wasn’t, while 48 percent don’t know. 86 percent of Georgian Dream supporters disapprove of this decision, none of them approve of it, while 14 percent don’t know.

When it comes to the seizing Maestro’s satellite dishes, 30 percent of National Movement supporters approve of the prosecutor’s action, 21 percent don’t, while 46 percent don’t know. 88 percent of Georgian Dream supporters disapprove of this step, while 12 percent don’t know.

The survey was conducted from July 31 to August 12. 2 038 persons were interviewed.