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Tamar Khidasheli seems to have won a narrow victory in Sagarejo. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–The Georgian Dream coalition looks likely to gain one seat in parliament after the by-elections yesterday.

The coalition’s candidates were leading in both Sagarejo and Martvili, according to preliminary results (http://results.cec.gov.ge/).

According to the most recent results published by the Central Election Commission (CEC), GD’s Tamar Khidasheli received 49.5 percent of votes, while Irma Inashvili, the candidate for Alliance of Patriots, received 45.83 percent of votes in Sagarejo, in the Kakheti region. Inashvili said she would challenge the results in several precincts.

The preliminary results include votes counted in all 50 precincts. Final results are usually announced after about a month. The two had three more competitors, who didn’t get more than 2 percent of votes.

Soso Danelia, candidate for GD coalition in Martvili, Samegrelo Zemo Svaneti region, received 72.54 percent of votes, while his only competitor, Eter Medzvelia from Alliance of Patriots, got 27.45 percent of votes in 39 precincts.

The Martvili seat was previously held by the National Movement, the largest opposition party in parliament. The government therefore strengthens its majority after Saturday’s results.

In the local elections, GD is leading in all four election districts. In Dmanisi, GD had no competition. In Sagarejo, the coalition received 45.01 of votes, the independent candidate Malkhaz Grdzelishvili received 32.31 percent of votes. Amiran Saginashvili from Alliance of Patriots received 19.16 percent of votes and the fourth candidate Manana Asanishvili 3.51 percent.

In Vani district, GD’s Raul Dzagnidze has 69.11 percent of votes. His competitor, the independent candidate Konstantine Gurgenidze, received 30.13 percent of votes, while Tamaz Sanadiradze, independent candidate got 0.75 percent of votes.

In Khobi there were two candidates, and the one from GD received 73.44 percent, while Alliance of Patriots’s candidate received 26.56 percent.

Voting ended at 20:00 on Saturday. According to CEC, the election day was peaceful. The voter turnout was 34.43 percent in Sagarejo, and 40 percent in Martvili.

There were filed 16 complaints during election day, but according to CEC spokesperson Ana Mikeladze, they were for minor violations and most of them were immediately resolved.