2016 Georgian parliamentary election explained

Election Name:	2016 Georgian parliamentary election
Country:	Georgia
Previous Election:	2012
Next Election:	2020
Seats For Election:	All 150 seats in the Parliament
Majority Seats:	76
Turnout:	51.94% (first round) 9.37 pp 37.50% (second round)^[1]
Election Date:	8 October 2016 (first round) 30 October 2016 (second round)
Leader1:	Giorgi Kvirikashvili
Party1:	Georgian Dream
Last Election1:	79
Seats1:	115
Percentage1:	48.68
Leader2:	Davit Bakradze
Party2:	United National Movement (Georgia)
Last Election2:	65
Seats2:	27
Percentage2:	27.11
Leader3:	Irma Inashvili
Party3:	Alliance of Patriots of Georgia
Last Election3:	new
Seats3:	6
Percentage3:	5.01
Leader4:	Gogi Topadze
Party4:	Industry Will Save Georgia
Last Election4:	6
Seats4:	1
Percentage4:	0.78
Leader5:	–
Party5:	Independents
Last Election5:	0
Seats5:	1
Percentage5:	–
Prime Minister
Before Election:	Giorgi Kvirikashvili
Before Party:	Georgian Dream
After Election:	Giorgi Kvirikashvili
After Party:	Georgian Dream

Parliamentary elections were held in Georgia on 8 October 2016 to elect the 150 members of Parliament. The ruling Georgian Dream coalition, led by Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili, sought a second term in office.^[2] ^[3] Opposition parties included the former ruling party and main opposition, the United National Movement (UNM); the Free Democrats, formerly a member of the Georgian Dream coalition and led by Irakli Alasania;^[4] and the Alliance of Patriots of Georgia.^[5]

Georgian Dream won 115 seats, an increase of 30 seats, while the United National Movement was reduced to 27 seats.

Electoral system

The 150 members of the unicameral Parliament were elected by two methods: 77 by proportional representation in a single nationwide constituency with an electoral threshold of 5%, and 73 by a two-round system in single-member constituencies with majority rule, requiring the winner to get over 50% (in the previous election the first-placed candidate had to pass a 30% threshold to win a constituency seat).

The boundaries of the constituencies were re-drawn to reduce malapportionment. Previously, the size of electorates ranged from fewer than 6,000 voters in one district to over 150,000 voters in another.^[6]

The elections did not take place in constituencies in the breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Opinion polls

Date	Polling firm/source	GD	UNM	OGFD	GLP	APG	CDM	DMUG	Girchi	SRP	SFP	Others	Lead
Date	Polling firm/source											Others	Lead
March–April 2016	IRI	19%	18%	10%	7%	3%	With DMUG	3%			12%		1%
1–3 April 2016	GHN	33%	30%	8%		10%		11%		8%			3%
23 February–14 March 2016	NDI	29%	27%	10%	6%	5%		<3%	<3%	<3%		5%	2%
8–29 January 2016	EPN Research	31%	20%	9%	9%	23%		7%				2%	11%
2015	GHN	20%	27%	33%	4%	6%		3%				2%	6%
	Newposts	21%	34%	6%	5%	7%		3%	2%			4.1%	13%
17 November–7 December 2015	NDI	31%	21%	11%	7%	5%		4%				2%	10%
November 2015	EPF	18%	19%	19%		13%				10%			Tied
8 August–10 September 2015	NDI	26%	30%	6%	7%	3%	With DMUG	6%	3%				4%
27 March–19 April 2015	NDI	24%	16%	9%	5%	6%						11%	8%
3–28 February 2015	IRI	36%	14%	10%	6%	5%		5%				1%	22%
23 July–7 August 2014	NDI	46%	15%		6%							16%	31%
15 June 2014	Local elections	51%	22%		3%	4%		10%				3%	29%
26 March–18 April 2014	NDI	46%	16%		11%		13%		7%				30%
13–27 November 2013	NDI	65%	15%		6%		6%	8%	4%				50%
	NDI	56%	16%		7%		7%	12%				4%	40%
12–26 June 2013	NDI	55%	13%									22%	42%
13–27 March 2013	NDI	63%	13%									15%	50%
14–25 November 2012	NDI	66%	13%				10%					7%	53%
1 October 2012		55%	40%		1%		2%					1%	15%

Results

Georgian Dream declared victory soon after voting ended. Georgian Dream Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili told supporters at party headquarters that "I congratulate you with a big victory Georgia! According to all preliminary results, Georgian Dream is leading with a big advantage." Georgia Dream Deputy Prime Minister Kakha Kaladze added that the party's own data showed that it had won around 59 percent of the vote.

Proportional results by constituency

Constituency	Turnout	GD	UNM	APG	FD	DM	SFTP	GLP	RP	Others	Lead
1	Mtatsminda	55.82	48.29	23.38	5.47	7.28	3.73	2.27	2.04	3.47	4.07	24.91
2	Vake	60.74	54.97	17.95	5.05	8.10	3.11	1.89	1.60	4.26	3.07	37.02
3	Vake	56.80	51.11	19.83	5.94	7.75	3.76	2.54	2.27	3.78	3.02	31.28
4	Saburtalo	52.05	51.89	20.04	5.97	6.85	3.43	2.23	3.07	2.51	4.01	31.85
5	Saburtalo	59.19	52.61	19.06	5.02	8.15	3.44	2.24	1.78	4.23	3.47	33.55
6	Saburtalo	59.97	53.52	18.27	5.22	7.49	3.45	2.33	1.98	4.31	3.43	35.25
7	Krtsanisi parts of Mtatsminda and Vake	48.64	49.48	27.86	5.49	3.77	3.18	3.09	3.22	1.40	2.51	21.62
8	Isani part of Samgori	45.30	43.40	25.74	7.33	7.44	4.25	3.56	3.95	1.74	2.59	17.66
9	Isani	42.04	46.54	26.38	5.30	5.05	5.33	2.19	3.69	1.56	3.96	20.16
10	Isani part of Samgori	45.90	46.17	26.05	5.48	5.90	4.91	3.07	3.32	2.37	2.73	20.12
11	Samgori	46.13	44.71	24.24	6.34	6.66	4.26	4.76	4.77	1.65	2.61	20.47
12	Samgori	43.12	42.45	27.36	6.33	5.97	4.81	3.01	5.49	1.48	3.10	15.09
13	Samgori part of Gardabani	42.30	44.51	25.55	8.87	5.22	4.22	2.60	5.77	0.90	2.36	18.96
14	Chughureti	51.30	53.12	21.06	5.41	5.34	4.30	2.61	3.26	1.99	2.91	32.06
15	Didube	53.63	50.16	20.64	5.37	7.75	4.45	2.57	2.42	3.27	3.37	29.52
16	Didube part of Saburtalo	54.36	51.09	19.44	6.95	6.76	3.69	2.88	2.97	2.28	3.94	31.65
17	Nadzaladevi	48.61	50.81	19.85	7.77	5.42	3.50	3.39	4.34	1.69	3.23	30.96
18	Nadzaladevi	48.17	48.69	22.47	6.54	6.28	3.82	3.11	4.50	1.79	2.80	26.22
19	Nadzaladevi	47.81	45.08	23.88	6.11	6.67	3.97	3.67	4.96	1.75	3.91	21.20
20	Gldani	45.22	42.45	25.35	7.52	6.19	3.74	3.22	5.21	1.36	4.96	17.10
21	Gldani	45.81	44.20	26.57	6.26	6.40	4.09	2.86	5.10	1.56	2.96	17.63
22	Gldani	47.32	45.39	24.44	7.11	6.89	4.26	2.78	4.63	1.70	2.80	20.95
23	Sagarejo	46.56	47.77	26.06	13.38	1.76	2.00	2.68	2.81	0.94	2.60	21.71
24	Gurjaani	57.77	44.42	32.95	4.80	2.17	3.87	3.34	4.27	1.05	3.13	11.47
25	Sighnaghi and Dedoplistskaro	56.11	53.72	25.90	5.49	2.43	3.50	2.35	3.06	1.60	1.95	27.82
26	Lagodekhi part of Kvareli	55.56	41.25	30.31	3.41	10.68	6.43	2.51	2.77	0.71	1.93	10.94
27	Telavi part of Kvareli	55.75	38.92	36.13	5.77	3.69	2.57	4.67	3.75	0.78	3.72	2.79
28	Akhmeta part of Telavi	51.44	45.62	32.60	2.88	1.72	3.09	5.29	4.69	0.89	3.22	13.02
29	Rustavi	48.67	43.48	30.15	6.60	4.72	3.33	3.29	4.35	1.46	2.62	13.33
30	Rustavi	48.14	41.36	32.69	6.37	4.59	2.37	2.80	6.51	1.30	2.01	8.67
31	Gardabani	37.78	51.72	34.76	4.13	1.73	1.67	0.79	2.47	1.06	1.67	16.96
32	Tetritskaro part of Gardabani	49.16	54.98	26.25	6.61	2.13	3.12	2.04	2.80	0.58	1.49	28.73
33	Bolnisi	44.08	48.18	40.67	1.74	1.08	2.04	2.36	1.18	0.36	2.39	7.51
34	Dmanisi and Tsalka; part of Bolnisi	47.09	62.02	25.77	2.25	1.84	2.67	1.27	1.49	0.72	1.97	36.25
35	Marneuli	42.49	55.27	37.54	0.68	0.40	0.77	1.58	0.07	0.18	3.51	17.73
36	Marneuli	44.58	41.26	47.41	0.86	0.94	1.69	4.37	0.65	0.27	2.55	6.15
37	Mtskheta	59.49	48.80	20.60	11.24	3.87	2.40	1.94	6.86	1.37	2.92	28.20
38	Tianeti, Dusheti and Kazbegi	51.21	57.39	9.31	8.18	2.38	3.31	7.22	8.39	0.89	2.93	48.08
39	Kaspi part of Gori	52.18	49.96	23.17	8.93	5.39	3.37	1.92	4.53	0.96	1.77	26.79
40	Kareli part of Gori	53.29	51.25	24.76	3.48	7.35	3.80	2.16	4.08	0.57	2.55	26.49
41	Part of Gori (incl. City of Gori)	50.91	40.98	23.84	4.53	14.06	4.30	3.54	3.70	0.69	4.36	17.14
42	Most of Gori	53.01	46.62	27.05	3.67	5.75	4.17	3.50	2.93	0.31	6.00	19.57
43	Khashuri	47.62	38.12	25.74	6.52	5.55	4.16	5.49	6.38	1.53	6.51	12.38
44	Akhaltsikhe and Adigeni	59.53	43.68	42.74	1.69	2.90	1.76	2.24	2.33	0.52	2.14	0.94
45	Borjomi and Aspindza; part of Akhalkalaki	53.57	52.65	21.07	8.52	2.26	4.82	3.32	3.49	0.71	3.16	31.58
46	Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda	50.45	62.47	20.32	1.35	0.19	3.38	5.12	0.26	3.57	3.34	42.15
47	Kutaisi	44.63	43.53	31.40	4.90	4.50	3.38	4.60	4.03	1.10	2.56	12.13
48	Kutaisi	42.77	45.44	28.75	4.84	5.12	4.36	3.46	3.86	1.45	2.72	16.69
49	Kutaisi	40.15	39.26	38.71	3.63	4.38	2.82	3.42	4.57	1.06	2.15	0.55
50	Tkibuli part of Terjola	58.43	47.19	30.65	4.32	1.65	4.96	3.17	2.60	2.58	2.88	16.54
51	Kharagauli and Baghdati; part of Zestaponi	60.20	47.89	26.92	2.84	4.63	2.64	5.12	2.74	4.11	3.11	20.97
52	Zestaponi	55.50	52.38	28.90	4.09	3.11	1.78	2.31	3.73	1.65	2.05	23.48
53	Sachkhere	59.07	85.04	4.95	2.21	1.29	1.21	1.30	1.11	0.80	2.09	80.09
54	Vani and Khoni	65.45	55.19	24.33	1.66	2.61	1.83	9.88	1.56	1.25	1.69	30.86
55	Samtredia	55.80	53.84	28.85	2.47	2.82	1.91	3.83	2.44	1.67	2.17	24.99
56	Chiatura	50.48	46.29	16.53	5.76	10.66	3.90	4.13	2.55	1.51	8.67	29.76
57	Tskaltubo	53.37	47.52	33.97	2.34	4.51	3.06	2.41	2.98	0.72	2.49	13.55
58	Racha-Lechkhumi and Svaneti	61.33	56.85	17.34	6.38	2.86	4.47	4.03	2.68	1.79	3.60	39.51
59	Most of Ozurgeti	57.91	54.09	18.85	6.06	6.69	4.75	4.53	2.62	0.95	1.46	35.24
60	Lanchkhuti and Chokhatauri; part of Ozurgeti	65.53	58.00	18.36	4.80	2.58	2.97	7.62	2.43	1.37	1.87	39.64
61	Poti parts of Ozurgeti and Lanchkhuti	53.27	49.82	25.87	3.52	4.27	3.19	3.77	2.73	0.85	5.98	23.95
62	Abasha and Martvili	60.44	47.89	32.59	4.84	3.71	2.97	4.75	1.38	0.47	1.40	15.30
63	Senaki part of Abasha	52.78	43.14	34.47	1.58	5.18	2.75	6.76	2.88	1.03	2.21	8.67
64	Khobi part of Zugdidi	58.10	43.55	36.98	5.33	3.72	1.97	4.70	1.90	0.67	1.18	6.57
65	City of Zugdidi	40.26	41.85	35.68	2.17	9.66	1.46	4.76	1.48	2.04	0.90	6.17
66	Most of Zugdidi	47.54	44.53	44.83	2.26	2.20	1.00	2.40	1.35	0.61	0.82	0.30
67	Tsalenjikha and Chkhorotsqu	55.18	47.34	35.83	3.11	3.29	1.17	4.08	2.10	1.31	1.77	11.51
68	Batumi part of Kobuleti	49.09	42.24	33.14	6.21	3.03	5.98	3.06	2.57	1.20	2.57	9.10
69	Batumi	48.01	44.39	27.83	6.49	4.54	6.00	2.64	2.51	2.03	3.57	16.56
70	Batumi part of Khelvachauri	50.10	45.07	29.94	6.52	3.18	5.93	2.12	3.04	1.03	3.17	15.13
71	Most of Kobuleti	56.12	50.41	28.25	5.90	2.33	5.25	2.06	1.79	1.68	2.33	22.16
72	Most of Khelvachauri; part of Keda	51.45	42.74	29.00	5.77	2.60	8.42	3.12	3.26	0.81	4.28	13.74
73	Keda, Shuakhevi and Khulo	61.43	48.54	29.80	2.39	2.89	5.17	3.94	1.69	1.76	3.82	18.74
0	Abroad	N/A	39.60	33.80	1.87	10.42	1.27	1.91	3.74	3.76	3.63	5.80
align=left colspan=13	Source: CEC CEC CEC

Aftermath

2018 District Nº54 by-election

28 April 2018.

2019 District Nº1 by-election

First round on 19 May 2019, second round on 9 June 2019.

Notes and References

https://cesko.ge/static/res/docs/AqtivobaIIturi2016ENG.pdf Second Round Turnout 2016
News: Georgian Dream starts preparations for Elections 2016. 15 February 2015. Rustavi 2. 19 January 2015.
Web site: Kakachia. Kornely. The end of the Georgian dream. openDemocracy. 15 February 2015. 12 January 2015. 18 April 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160418220045/https://www.opendemocracy.net/od-russia/kornely-kakachia/end-of-georgian-dream. dead.
News: Alasania Becomes FD's Chairman, Hopes to ‘Celebrate Victory’ in 2016 Elections. 15 February 2015. Civil Georgia. 8 November 2014.
News: Local Elections Boost Alliance of Patriots' Ambitions for Parliamentary Polls. 15 February 2015. Civil Georgia. 21 June 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140715185939/http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=27395. 15 July 2014. dead. dmy-all.
http://civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=29478 Elections Guide