2008 Georgian parliamentary election explained

Country:	Georgia
Previous Election:	2004
Next Election:	2012
Seats For Election:	All 150 seats in the Parliament
Majority Seats:	76
Registered:	3,458,020 (47.58%)
Turnout:	52.82% (11.11pp)
Election Date:	21 May 2008
First Election:	yes
Leader1:	Davit Bakradze
Party1:	United National Movement (Georgia)
Seats1:	119
Percentage1:	59.18
Party2:	NC–NR
Color2:	225BA8
Seats2:	17
Percentage2:	17.73
Leader3:	Giorgi Targamadze
Party3:	Christian-Democratic Movement (Georgia)
Seats3:	6
Percentage3:	8.66
Leader4:	Shalva Natelashvili
Party4:	Georgian Labour Party
Seats4:	6
Percentage4:	7.44
Leader5:	David Usupashvili
Party5:	Republican Party of Georgia
Seats5:	2
Percentage5:	3.78
Map:	Party Vote Results by Territory in the 2008 Georgian Parliamentary Election.png
Prime Minister
Before Election:	Lado Gurgenidze
Before Party:	Independent politician
After Election:	Lado Gurgenidze
After Party:	Independent politician

Parliamentary elections were held in Georgia on 21 May 2008.^[1] President Mikheil Saakashvili proposed a referendum on bringing them forward from fall to spring after the 2007 Georgian demonstrations.^[2] The referendum was held at the same time as the early presidential election on 5 January 2008; the results indicated that voters were largely in favour of having the elections in spring.^[3]

The Central Election Commission registered 3,458,020 voters,^[4] significantly higher than the 2,343,087 registered in 2004. The election was observed by 14 international and 31 local organizations.^{[5] [6]}

Pre-election process

The pre-election period was principally monitored by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) as well as several local watchdogs. The PACE observers reported “little or no improvement” in the political climate after the January 5 presidential election, which was held in the tense aftermath of the November 2007 political crisis and resulted in the reelection of Mikheil Saakashvili to his second term. The monitoring mission noted that “the political climate is still dominated by a lack of trust and absence of constructive dialogue between the authorities and the opposition”, one result of this being “the failure of the electoral reform that the authorities and the opposition agreed upon in the aftermath of the November 2007 events.”^[7]

The amendments to the election code passed by the Parliament in March 2008 took into account recommendations made by the PACE, such as the abolition of additional voters’ lists and voter registration on polling day; lowering of the electoral threshold from 7% to 5%; the simplification and clarification of election-related complaints and appeals procedures; the introduction of party representation in the District Election Commissions. However, the PACE noted that a number of its other recommendations remained unaddressed.^[7]

This period also saw a significant reshuffle among the major political players. On February 29, 2008, the moderate Republican Party of Georgia left the nine-party opposition coalition United National Council, which spearheaded anti-government protests in November 2007, announcing that they would run independently for the parliamentary election, targeting mainly moderate and undecided voters.^[8] On the other hand, the New Rights party, which had distanced themselves from the 2007 demonstrations, now joined the nine-party coalition under an election bloc named United Opposition–New Rights.^[9]

Another key event, which sent shockwaves across Georgia's political scene on April 21, 2008, was the refusal by Nino Burjanadze, the outgoing parliamentary chairwoman and Saakashvili's ally, to run on the president-led United National Movement (UNM) ticket, citing an absence of consensus within the UNM leadership regarding the party list.^[10]

Contending parties

Three election blocs and nine parties contested this election:^[11]

• United National Movement, current ruling party led by President Saakashvili;
• United Opposition

the National Council – New Rights, a bloc uniting a nine-party alliance (Freedom Movement, Conservative Party of Georgia, Party of Georgia, People's Party, Movement for United Georgia, National Forum, Georgia's Way, Georgian Troupe, On Our Own Party) with David Gamkrelidze's New Right which is led by the former presidential candidate and Saakashvili's principal rival Levan Gachechiladze;

• Republican Party of Georgia, led by Davit Usupashvili;
• Georgian Labour Party, led by Shalva Natelashvili;
• Christian-Democratic Movement, founded and led by the former Imedi TV journalist Giorgi Targamadze;
• Rightist Alliance – Topadze Industrialists, uniting Industry Will Save Georgia led by the beer magnate Gogi Topadze, the National Democratic Party and Unity led by the former Soviet Georgian leader Jumber Patiashvili;
• Union of Georgian Traditionalists – Our Georgia – Georgian Women Party for Justice and Equality alliance;
• Christian-Democratic Alliance, uniting the former presidential candidate Gia Maisashvili, the Green Party and Temur Shashiashvili, a former governor of Imereti region under ex-President Eduard Shevardnadze;
• The Georgian Politics, a party recently set up by Gocha Pipia, a member of the outgoing parliament;
• Our Country

• National Party of Radical-Democrats of Georgia

• Union of Georgian Sportsmen.

The Central Election Commission refused to register 37 political parties for the election, on account of various irregularities in their submissions.^[12]

Opinion polls

On May 5, 2008, the United States-based company Greenberg Quinlan Rosner published the results of a United National Movement-commissioned survey, according to which the UNM had the support of 44 percent, compared to 12 percent for the United Opposition Council, 11 percent for the Christian Democratic Movement, 7 percent for the Labour Party, and 4 percent for the Republican Party; 16 percent were undecided.^[13]

Conduct

On election day, there was a shooting incident in the village Khurcha, near Zugdidi, in the west of the country. Three people were hospitalized. Close-up footage of the shooting was captured by a TV crew from Rustavi 2. President Saakashvili claimed that the shooting had been an attempt to disrupt the election. An investigation was carried out by the Norwegian Helsinki Committee within hours, and concluded that the shooting had most likely been carried out by Georgian forces.^[14]

On 22 May 2008, OSCE observers stated that the poll was an improvement from the presidential election held earlier that year, but that it was stilled marred by a number of imperfections.^[15] Early results indicated that UNM had 63% and the United Opposition Council 13%, but the opposition's partial results from Tbilisi gave the UOC 40%, and the UNM - 32%. The Christian Democrats and the Labour Party also cleared the threshold.^[16]

Results

Proportional results by territory

Territory	Turnout	UNM	UO	CDM	GLP	RP	Others	Lead
Mtatsminda	57.77	45.42	33.72	4.60	6.47	5.43	4.36	11.70
Vake	55.76	33.77	42.43	5.70	6.80	6.41	4.89	8.66
Saburtalo	52.64	37.94	35.80	5.99	8.65	6.25	5.37	2.14
Krtsanisi	51.05	56.21	23.75	5.57	8.42	2.77	3.28	32.46
Isani	43.09	46.91	27.02	7.00	10.44	3.63	5.00	19.89
Samgori	41.91	46.06	26.44	8.45	12.91	3.21	2.93	19.62
Chughureti	48.85	40.07	34.13	7.15	10.79	4.00	3.86	5.94
Didube	54.37	36.90	36.77	7.76	9.58	4.96	4.03	0.13
Nadzaladevi	47.68	38.33	29.28	8.10	16.06	4.82	3.41	9.05
Gldani	42.91	39.80	27.67	10.59	15.67	3.10	3.17	12.13
Sagarejo	68.43	70.00	14.62	5.85	5.78	2.25	1.50	55.38
Gurjaani	53.60	66.97	12.88	8.35	7.44	2.98	1.38	54.09
Sighnaghi	61.50	70.22	14.16	5.30	4.86	3.73	1.73	56.06
Dedoplistskaro	55.00	58.49	15.92	8.05	11.29	4.78	1.47	42.57
Lagodekhi	56.83	65.76	10.89	8.99	5.82	5.43	3.11	54.87
Kvareli	61.65	59.56	15.69	10.16	7.34	6.06	1.19	43.87
Telavi	50.38	59.68	20.09	11.23	4.23	2.45	2.32	39.59
Akhmeta	60.86	67.91	9.57	7.53	9.47	3.82	1.70	58.34
Tianeti	59.06	65.50	9.00	1.61	21.30	0.98	1.61	44.20
Rustavi	44.36	48.58	23.06	11.80	9.62	3.02	3.92	25.52
Gardabani	49.24	74.35	9.06	5.05	6.96	3.09	1.49	65.29
Marneuli	46.71	83.95	7.06	3.34	1.33	2.23	2.09	76.89
Bolnisi	54.91	83.27	6.89	3.67	2.54	1.77	1.86	76.38
Dmanisi	51.37	84.69	8.31	3.66	1.96	0.43	0.95	76.38
Tsalka	35.24	74.40	16.32	3.09	1.88	2.97	1.34	58.08
Tetritskaro	53.27	62.47	12.04	10.49	9.98	3.05	1.97	50.43
Mtskheta	70.79	69.40	8.92	3.07	13.85	2.47	2.29	55.55
Dusheti	57.35	61.89	5.41	1.53	28.19	1.92	1.06	33.70
Kazbegi	54.98	44.49	14.98	11.18	14.34	12.60	2.41	29.51
Kaspi	63.78	73.33	11.91	3.53	6.74	3.40	1.09	61.42
Akhalgori	63.72	71.03	8.67	2.93	12.22	2.69	2.46	58.81
Gori	57.92	73.46	10.06	4.85	6.62	3.00	2.01	63.40
Kareli	70.15	76.97	5.98	5.24	6.42	3.36	2.03	70.55
Khashuri	74.18	70.30	8.28	7.85	8.90	3.30	1.37	61.40
Borjomi	58.84	48.71	20.13	15.46	9.36	3.69	2.65	28.58
Akhaltsikhe	85.20	83.48	4.82	5.30	3.53	1.70	1.17	78.18
Adigeni	82.61	86.66	4.95	4.09	1.54	1.72	1.04	81.71
Aspindza	85.67	86.92	4.50	1.76	3.95	2.19	0.68	82.42
Akhalkalaki	78.96	90.21	1.45	0.83	2.37	0.35	4.79	87.84
Ninotsminda	82.04	91.71	1.56	0.31	3.55	0.87	2.00	88.16
Oni	64.50	54.37	28.96	2.27	5.42	4.30	4.68	25.41
Ambrolauri	68.66	61.47	25.98	3.64	4.79	2.29	1.83	35.49
Tsageri	61.28	56.28	11.29	13.83	5.04	9.38	4.18	42.45
Lentekhi	73.06	73.42	6.79	0.98	5.12	6.56	7.13	66.63
Mestia	64.82	45.69	32.98	11.09	3.70	1.41	5.13	12.71
Kharagauli	65.50	50.23	22.79	7.08	4.91	12.45	2.54	27.44
Terjola	57.90	68.20	11.78	6.26	5.63	5.27	2.86	56.42
Sachkhere	53.46	60.47	10.89	12.33	7.05	6.41	2.85	48.14
Zestafoni	48.99	51.27	16.31	11.46	13.76	3.41	3.79	34.96
Baghdati	57.93	58.28	21.57	7.97	6.71	3.31	2.16	36.71
Vani	51.59	50.28	11.38	23.58	6.86	4.54	3.36	26.70
Samtredia	50.31	52.96	21.04	13.91	6.32	2.82	2.95	31.92
Khoni	58.36	61.01	14.20	9.63	4.18	8.67	2.31	46.81
Chiatura	47.12	48.73	13.15	20.71	8.02	6.04	3.35	28.02
Tkibuli	52.78	56.00	11.25	9.70	6.21	4.58	12.26	44.75
Tskaltubo	44.22	57.64	10.67	14.71	7.09	3.42	6.47	42.93
Kutaisi	42.73	50.78	17.79	17.30	6.77	3.06	4.30	32.99
Ozurgeti	59.12	62.26	15.33	12.15	3.44	4.09	2.73	46.93
Lanchkhuti	65.06	52.18	17.03	14.23	4.92	3.35	8.29	35.15
Chokhatauri	70.33	66.42	14.87	9.71	2.32	4.85	1.83	51.55
Abasha	64.41	62.18	18.51	7.72	4.71	2.97	3.91	43.67
Senaki	52.87	67.15	12.93	8.99	5.57	2.07	3.29	54.22
Martvili	53.99	68.26	14.57	10.16	2.96	2.30	1.75	53.69
Khobi	58.38	60.36	19.05	13.20	4.01	0.78	2.60	41.31
Zugdidi	39.82	67.11	12.00	8.09	3.20	3.58	6.02	55.11
Tsalenjikha	44.66	68.33	11.25	8.32	3.91	2.87	5.32	57.08
Chkhorotsqu	58.90	63.11	15.69	11.44	5.28	0.82	3.66	47.42
Poti	55.92	55.28	22.16	11.40	5.93	2.36	2.87	33.12
Batumi	45.54	51.29	17.17	14.74	6.26	8.07	2.47	34.12
Keda	67.38	57.95	20.58	7.30	6.14	5.90	2.13	37.37
Kobuleti	50.20	66.24	9.68	15.42	3.69	3.29	1.68	50.82
Shuakhevi	67.96	66.67	13.45	8.15	3.53	3.26	4.94	53.22
Khelvachauri	49.55	60.74	10.34	12.08	6.14	8.75	1.95	48.66
Khulo	64.97	69.49	15.75	6.27	2.30	2.78	3.41	53.74
Liakhvi*	78.43	86.58	6.00	1.88	2.03	2.34	1.17	80.58
Upper Abkhazia	58.75	84.90	2.04	7.07	0.82	1.09	4.08	77.83
Abroad	4.75	81.80	5.33	3.08	1.86	4.20	3.73	76.47
align=left colspan=10	Source: Electoral Geography CEC

• Municipalities of Kurta and Eredvi

Aftermath

The United Opposition and the Labour Party announced they would boycott parliament, which held its inaugural session on June 7, 2008, while the Christian Democrats refused to join them.^{[17] [18]}

2011 District Nº17 by-election

2 October 2011.

Notes and References

1. http://www.civil.ge/eng_/article.php?id=17416 Parliamentary Elections Set for May 21
2. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7085097.stm Georgia to hold early elections
3. Web site: Saakashvili wins Georgia's presidential election - People's Daily Online . English.people.com.cn . 2008-01-06 . 2013-01-07.
4. http://www.cec.gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=ENG&sec_id=334&info_id=4287 Total Number of voters
5. http://www.cec.gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=ENG&sec_id=334&info_id=4376 The List of International Non-Governmental Organizations registered at the Central Election Commission of Georgia for May 21, 2008 Parliamentary Elections
6. http://www.cec.gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=ENG&sec_id=334&info_id=4375 The List of local Non-Governmental Organizations registered at the Central Election Commission of Georgia for May 21, 2008 Parliamentary Elections
7. http://assembly.coe.int/ASP/APFeaturesManager/defaultArtSiteView.asp?ID=764 Honouring of obligations and commitments by Georgia. Information note by the co-rapporteurs on their fact-finding visit to Tbilisi (26-27 March 2008).
8. http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=17238 New Opposition Configuration Emerges Ahead of Polls.
9. http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=17549 Three Blocs, Nine Parties Run in Parliamentary Polls.
10. http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2008/04/3C725DF3-1EF4-4F38-AF58-9106ED0289EF.html Georgia: In Surprise Move, Burjanadze Says She Won't Seek Reelection
11. http://www.civil.ge/eng/detail.php?id=17708 Party Lists.
12. http://www.cec.gov.ge/files/334_4485_867989_UARI_GAMOQVEKNEBA_1.doc List of the Parties which have been refused for the registration to participate in the upcoming Parliamentary Elections May 21, 2008.
13. http://www.greenbergresearch.com/index.php?ID=2193 Survey Shows United National Movement with Majority Support in Republic of Georgia Parliamentary Race
14. Web site: Questions Raised by the Khurcha Incident . Human Rights Information and Documentation Center . 2008-05-24 . 2008-08-21.
15. News: Concerns raised over Georgia poll . BBC News . May 23, 2008.
16. Web site: News - World - Georgian leader set for poll win . B92 . 2013-01-07 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20121025120407/http://www.b92.net/eng/news/world-article.php?yyyy=2008&mm=05&dd=22&nav_id=50444 . 2012-10-25 .
17. Web site: Georgien: Opposition ruft zu Protesten auf « . Diepresse.com . 2013-01-07.
18. Web site: Werdigier . Julia . Opposition bloc to boycott Georgia's parliament to protest governing party's big election win . International Herald Tribune . 2013-01-07.