2025 local elections in Georgia

    Georgian president renews offer to pardon jailed opposition leaders if they participate in elections

    By | July 24th, 2025|Categories: Politics|Tags: , |

    TBILISI, DFWatch--President Mikheil Kavelashvili from Georgian Dream (GD) offers to pardons jailed opposition leaders, under the condition that they agree to participate in the upcoming local elections. He framed the offer as a constitutional initiative aimed at supporting democratic participation. But the offer sparked mixed reactions, especially among opposition groups who see the move more as [...]

      Georgian parliament speaker accuses EU-funded groups of undermining elections

      By | July 8th, 2025|Categories: Europe|Tags: , |

      TBILISI, DFWatch--The Speaker of Georgia’s Parliament has accused European Union-funded organizations of preparing to disrupt the country’s upcoming local elections. Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said Tuesday that"organizations funded by the EU embassy are preparing to disrupt the local elections." He further claimed that the groups's activities amount to a violation of international law and warned that [...]

        Hunger strike fails to unite opposition ahead of local elections

        By | July 2nd, 2025|Categories: Politics|Tags: , |

        (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch--With just a few months left until Georgia’s local elections on October 4, the country’s opposition remains deeply divided. Some parties are preparing to boycott the vote, while others intend to participate, hoping to secure victory in the capital and other opposition strongholds. Efforts to unite the opposition, including a brief hunger strike by [...]

          Georgia’s ruling party says opposition participation ‘irrelevant’ ahead of local elections

          By | June 21st, 2025|Categories: Politics|Tags: , , |

          GD lawmaker said it is irrelevant whether the opposition participates in the elections. TBILISI, DFWatch--As Georgia prepares to hold local elections in October, the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party says it expects a decisive win regardless of whether the opposition parties participate or not. "For the government, it doesn’t matter whether the opposition joins the elections. [...]

            Joint opposition platform proposed for Tbilisi in local elections

            By | June 17th, 2025|Categories: Elections|Tags: |

            (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch--Mamuka Khazaradze, founder of the opposition party Lelo, calls for a unified opposition front in the upcoming local elections in the capital, Tbilisi, aiming to challenge the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party. A recent opinion polls showed that the around two thirds of Tbilisians would support the opposition, but due to the internal disagreements [...]

              New opinion poll reveals GD will win local elections unless Georgian opposition joins forces

              By | June 16th, 2025|Categories: Elections|Tags: , |

              (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch--A new opinion poll conducted by the Institute for Social Studies and Analysis (ISSA) reveals that support for the opposition—particularly in the capital, Tbilisi—remains high. The nationwide poll reveals a deep dissatisfaction with the Georgian Dream (GD) government and support for opposition groups, heading toward local elections scheduled for October 4. The survey found [...]

                Former PM, now leader of opposition party, faces possible charges over 2019 border standoff

                By | June 16th, 2025|Categories: News|Tags: , , |

                TBILISI, DFWatch--In Georgia, prosecutors have reopened case about a 2019 border incident involving former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, who is the leader of one of the few opposition parties planning to participate in this year's local elections in October. The investigation centers on events in the village of Chorchana, near the de facto boundary with Russian-occupied [...]

                  Students rally against the Georgian government

                  By | June 15th, 2025|Categories: News|Tags: , , |

                  (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch--Students protested in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi on June 14, expressing both anger over instances of injustice domestically as well as how the country has become a target of international criticism. Outside Tbilisi State University, demonstrators condemned the recent sentencing of student activist Mate Devadze, who received four and a half years in prison for [...]

                    Ex-president and opposition leader Zourabichvili eyed as candidate for Tbilisi mayor

                    By | June 11th, 2025|Categories: News|Tags: , |

                    Salome Zourabichvili. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch--Giorgi Gakharia’s party For Georgia is reportedly considering nominating former President Salome Zourabichvili as a "neutral candidate" for mayor of Tbilisi in the upcoming local elections. The party, which received 8% of the vote in the 2024 parliamentary election, has announced the start of its campaign for the municipal elections in October [...]

                      Georgia’s opposition divided over local elections boycott

                      By | June 1st, 2025|Categories: In brief|Tags: , |

                      Levan Khabeishvili, head of UNM’s political council. (Interpressnews.) TBILISI, DFWatch--The "Stay Home" campaign, spearheaded by Levan Khabeishvili, chairman of the United National Movement’s (UNM) political council, aims to delegitimize the vote by urging voters not to take part. Khabeishvili argues that participation would legitimize the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party, which he accuses of authoritarianism under [...]