2013 Georgian presidential election explained

Country:	Georgia
Type:	presidential
Previous Election:	2008 Georgian presidential election
Previous Year:	2008
Next Election:	2018 Georgian presidential election
Next Year:	2018
Turnout:	46.95% (9.24pp)
Image1:	Prasidenten Margvelashvili (cropped).jpg
Nominee1:	Giorgi Margvelashvili
Party1:	Georgian Dream
Popular Vote1:	1,012,569
Percentage1:	62.12%
Nominee2:	David Bakradze
Party2:	United National Movement (Georgia)
Popular Vote2:	354,103
Percentage2:	21.72%
Image3:	06-12-2019_Nino_Burjanadze.png
Nominee3:	Nino Burjanadze
Party3:	DM–UG
Popular Vote3:	166,061
Percentage3:	10.19%
President
Before Election:	Mikheil Saakashvili
Before Party:	United National Movement (Georgia)
After Election:	Giorgi Margvelashvili
After Party:	Georgian Dream

Presidential elections were held in Georgia on 27 October 2013, the sixth presidential elections since the country's restoration of independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The last elections in January 2008 resulted in the re-election of Mikheil Saakashvili for his second and final presidential term.^[1] Saakashvili was constitutionally barred from running for a third consecutive term.

The elections were held under a two-round system. Giorgi Margvelashvili was elected with a majority of votes in the first round.^[2]

Background

The previous presidential elections were held on 5 January 2008 in a polarised political environment following the November 2007 crisis, in response to which President Mikheil Saakashvili, then serving his first term in office, brought forward the elections from the original date in autumn 2008. Saakashvili won the election with 53.47% of the votes in an election described in the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) election observation mission report as "the first genuinely competitive post-independence presidential election", which "was in essence consistent with most OSCE and Council of Europe commitments and standards for democratic elections". At the same time, the mission "revealed significant challenges which need to be addressed urgently."^[3]

In the October 2012 parliamentary elections, the former ruling party United National Movement (ENM) lost power to the Georgian Dream coalition led by Bidzina Ivanishvili, who became the new Prime Minister.

Upon the inauguration of a new president in 2013, a series of constitutional amendments passed in the Parliament of Georgia from 2010 to 2013 would enter into force. The amendments envisaged significant reduction of the president's powers in favour of the Prime Minister.^[4]

Candidates

The Georgian Dream coalition named Giorgi Margvelashvili, then minister of education and science and deputy prime minister, as their presidential candidate on 11 May.^[5]

The candidates for the ENM presidential primaries, announced in June 2013, were former parliamentary speaker David Bakradze, veteran lawmaker and former cabinet minister Giorgi Baramidze, Shota Malashkhia and Zurab Japaridze.^[6] All the primaries were won by Bakradze, who was announced to be the presidential candidate.^[7]

On 12 June, Nino Burjanadze announced that she would run for president as the nominee of Democratic Movement – United Georgia.^[8]

Salome Zourabichvili, former Foreign Minister of Georgia, was denied ballot access due to her dual citizenship.^[9]

In total, 23 candidates contested the election.^[10]

Opinion polls

Opinion polls in the run-up to the election showed Margvelashvili to be the frontrunner. Polls varied between showing over 50% support for Margvelashvili and figures indicating the election would go to a second round.^{[11] [12] [13]}

Results

The result of the election was a clear first-round majority for Margvelashvili with 62% of the vote. Bakradze, his nearest rival, polled 22%. Burjanadze came third, with 10% of the vote. No other candidate received more than 3% of the vote.^[10] The inauguration of Margvelashvili was on 17 November.^[14]

The election saw 47% of eligible voters cast a ballot; this is lower than the 2012 parliamentary election, which saw 61% vote, and the 2008 presidential election, where 54% of voters participated.^[15]

By district or municipality

District/Municipality	Turnout	Margvelashvili	Bakradze	Burjanadze	Natelashvili	Targamadze	Others	Lead
Mtatsminda	57.12	63.62	21.02	9.48	2.62	0.61	2.65	42.60
Vake	56.17	65.54	19.45	9.49	2.32	0.69	2.51	46.09
Saburtalo	52.97	65.87	18.17	10.03	2.91	0.62	2.40	47.70
Krtsanisi	42.23	59.84	22.96	10.47	3.24	0.84	2.65	36.88
Isani	41.73	59.43	22.78	10.88	3.74	0.92	2.25	36.65
Samgori	44.54	61.92	20.51	9.55	4.36	1.31	2.35	41.41
Chughureti	47.88	61.96	21.13	9.96	3.20	0.83	2.92	40.83
Didube	54.40	64.06	19.55	10.10	2.99	0.72	2.58	44.51
Nadzaladevi	46.42	64.00	18.83	9.61	4.26	0.99	2.31	45.17
Gldani	45.00	61.47	20.78	9.65	4.68	1.03	2.39	40.69
Sagarejo	38.53	66.29	17.39	10.04	3.23	1.36	1.69	48.90
Gurjaani	51.08	59.29	24.09	9.06	4.15	1.44	1.97	35.20
Sighnaghi	54.60	68.54	16.60	9.53	2.88	1.06	1.39	51.94
Dedoplistskaro	53.41	79.39	11.74	4.60	2.27	0.83	1.17	67.65
Lagodekhi	45.83	61.81	23.12	10.37	1.92	1.01	1.77	38.69
Kvareli	51.22	56.77	25.04	12.08	3.65	0.90	1.56	31.73
Telavi	43.12	50.35	26.53	14.29	5.17	1.91	1.75	23.82
Akhmeta	46.27	61.07	21.37	11.24	4.22	0.87	1.23	39.70
Tianeti	56.09	68.76	8.78	15.52	5.06	0.45	1.43	53.24
Rustavi	43.00	56.80	25.63	8.68	5.12	1.41	2.36	31.17
Gardabani	35.26	64.94	20.78	8.86	2.69	0.76	1.97	44.16
Marneuli	32.60	63.95	25.92	7.85	0.36	0.34	1.58	38.03
Bolnisi	36.92	64.34	21.62	9.87	0.97	0.98	2.22	42.72
Dmanisi	45.59	47.29	41.53	7.40	1.22	0.56	2.00	5.76
Tsalka	29.32	64.17	13.86	17.57	0.99	0.96	2.45	46.60
Tetritskaro	44.73	61.89	21.15	10.36	2.81	1.36	2.43	40.74
Mtskheta	49.95	63.43	17.10	11.31	5.54	1.00	1.62	46.33
Dusheti	49.23	77.77	9.11	5.28	6.45	0.39	1.00	68.66
Kazbegi	40.04	69.03	6.66	19.12	3.55	0.39	1.25	49.91
Kaspi	45.43	67.73	15.54	9.36	4.03	0.89	2.45	52.19
Gori	46.35	61.79	19.18	12.03	3.69	1.54	1.77	42.61
Kareli	47.93	65.54	20.24	8.09	3.40	1.18	1.55	45.30
Khashuri	45.33	65.25	18.20	8.63	4.92	1.19	1.81	47.05
Borjomi	52.33	67.25	13.86	11.76	3.56	1.17	2.40	53.39
Akhaltsikhe	50.87	55.27	29.03	10.19	1.89	1.95	1.67	26.24
Adigeni	59.20	54.33	30.77	10.61	1.50	1.40	1.39	23.56
Aspindza	64.34	57.04	23.72	14.98	1.79	0.73	1.74	33.32
Akhalkalaki	38.28	66.96	19.24	10.66	0.33	0.62	2.19	47.72
Ninotsminda	45.71	70.80	9.75	14.88	0.08	0.85	3.64	55.92
Oni	57.51	59.46	18.19	18.50	1.91	0.71	1.23	40.96
Ambrolauri	63.51	64.73	19.04	12.06	1.85	0.64	1.68	45.69
Tsageri	57.02	56.80	22.37	16.72	1.48	0.49	2.14	34.43
Lentekhi	55.09	72.62	8.21	14.84	1.26	0.68	2.39	57.78
Mestia	54.79	66.90	16.82	10.57	2.06	1.20	2.45	50.08
Kharagauli	63.98	69.03	19.19	7.26	1.15	0.98	2.39	49.84
Terjola	55.52	65.30	22.25	8.29	1.52	0.88	1.76	43.05
Sachkhere	64.70	94.21	2.79	1.89	0.35	0.14	0.62	91.42
Zestaponi	48.21	68.36	19.36	7.58	2.58	0.70	1.42	49.00
Baghdati	48.77	55.11	30.12	9.39	2.81	1.00	1.57	24.99
Vani	51.11	61.17	18.91	15.83	1.40	1.01	1.68	42.26
Samtredia	45.79	62.72	23.96	8.03	1.67	1.68	1.94	38.76
Khoni	60.25	56.74	33.70	6.11	1.32	0.51	1.62	23.04
Chiatura	47.87	77.04	11.08	6.80	1.51	1.03	2.54	65.96
Tkibuli	49.55	57.15	25.62	11.71	2.59	0.83	2.10	31.53
Tskaltubo	46.60	54.95	30.33	9.53	2.63	1.03	1.53	24.62
Kutaisi	39.74	56.38	26.58	10.18	3.65	1.28	1.93	29.80
Ozurgeti	52.03	69.38	16.62	9.14	1.75	1.28	1.83	52.76
Lanchkhuti	55.50	70.38	15.97	7.35	2.03	1.47	2.80	54.41
Chokhatauri	60.20	75.61	12.05	8.28	1.04	0.96	2.06	63.56
Abasha	53.64	59.11	27.57	8.75	1.69	1.36	1.52	31.54
Senaki	44.91	45.80	35.17	11.99	2.82	1.92	2.30	10.63
Martvili	51.03	52.55	34.15	9.67	1.19	1.03	1.41	18.40
Khobi	54.03	58.13	26.24	11.59	1.59	0.95	1.50	31.89
Zugdidi	34.85	46.61	40.81	8.38	1.77	0.90	1.53	5.80
Tsalenjikha	43.15	50.56	34.91	10.92	1.52	0.73	1.36	15.65
Chkhorotsqu	55.86	64.33	25.74	6.89	1.10	0.50	1.44	38.59
Poti	42.45	57.36	23.34	13.03	3.35	1.36	1.56	34.02
Batumi	43.62	58.39	20.27	14.96	2.93	1.24	2.21	38.12
Keda	62.96	58.63	18.90	16.81	1.16	2.04	2.46	39.73
Kobuleti	44.81	60.78	21.05	12.38	2.21	1.79	1.79	39.73
Shuakhevi	58.67	54.34	23.35	16.39	1.35	2.35	2.22	30.99
Khelvachauri	44.51	59.99	16.49	17.27	2.63	1.60	2.02	42.72
Khulo	54.29	55.15	22.11	16.78	1.37	1.86	2.73	33.04
Abroad	N/A	48.58	39.30	4.02	3.60	1.34	3.16	9.28
align=left colspan=9	Source: CEC CEC

Reactions

Margvelashvili was, at the time, an ally of Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, and the result was considered to be a consolidation of Ivanishvili's power. With his appointee elected to the presidency, Ivanishvili declared his intention to leave his role as Prime Minister, stating that his goals had been achieved.^[16]

The election was declared as "clean" and "transparent" by international observers.^[17] The OSCE observer mission preliminary report stated that the election was "efficiently administered, transparent and took place in an amicable and constructive environment."^[18] However, there were some issues noted by observers. International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, a Georgian election observer group, found "significant shortcomings" regarding invalid ID and voter lists in Batumi, filing 45 complaints. Another group, Transparency International, filed 34 complaints.^[19]

International responses

Supranational organizations

• — Catherine Ashton, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, and Štefan Füle, the Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy, released a statement where they congratulated "the Georgian people on this demonstration of their country's strong democratic credentials" and that they "look forward to continued close cooperation with Georgia on our ambitious mutual agenda of political association and economic integration."^[20]

States

• — US Department of State release said that they "witnessed another historic day for all Georgians" and an "important step in Georgia's democratic development and its embrace of Euro-Atlantic institutions."^[21]
• — Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov congratulated the Georgian people on the "free and fair election" and expressed his hope that the new government would "adopt a friendly policy toward Russia, one that will take into account the current situation in this complex region."^[22]
• — Foreign Minister Carl Bildt congratulated Georgia on "its well-run presidential election and Giorgi Margvelashvili on clearly being the winner."^[23]

Notes and References

1. http://www.cec.gov.ge/files/TEA/archevnebisistoria/eng.pdf History of elections, 1990–2010
2. News: Ally of Georgia's billionaire PM to be president: exit polls. 27 October 2013. Reuters. 27 October 2013.
3. http://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/georgia/66641 Georgia. Extraordinary Presidential Election, 5 January 2008
4. http://civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=22757 Key Points of Newly Adopted Constitution
5. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-georgia-presidency-idUSBRE94A0CE20130511 Georgian PM names pro-Western ally presidential candidate
6. News: Candidates for UNM Presidential Primaries Named. 11 October 2013. Civil Georgia. 29 June 2013.
7. News: Bakradze Becomes UNM Presidential Candidate. 11 October 2013. Civil Georgia. 13 July 2013.
8. News: Burjanadze Runs for President. 11 October 2013. Civil Georgia. 13 June 2013.
9. News: Zourabichvili Loses Court Appeal to Run in Election. 2 March 2023. Civil Georgia. 10 September 2013.
10. Web site: October 27, 2013 Presidential Elections of Georgia. Election Administration of Georgia. 28 October 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131029193129/http://www.results.cec.gov.ge/eng/. 29 October 2013. dead.
11. http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=26493 Poll: GD's Margvelashvili Leads, Followed by UNM's Bakradze
12. News: 57.6% of respondents support Margvelashvili, 11.8% – Bakradze and 7,1% – Burjanadze. 26 October 2013. Pirweli. 24 October 2013.
13. News: Who becomes President of Georgia?. https://web.archive.org/web/20131027074242/http://top.rbc.ru/politics/25/10/2013/884932.shtml. dead. 27 October 2013. 26 October 2013. Rbk. 25 October 2013.
14. News: Walker. Shaun. Georgia elects oligarch PM Bidzina Ivanishvili's candidate as president. 28 October 2013. The Guardian. 28 October 2013.
15. Web site: Georgia: Low Turnout Overshadows Presidential Election. Corso. Molly. 27 October 2013. Eurasianet.org. 28 October 2013.
16. News: Georgia PM ally Giorgi Margvelashvili 'wins presidency'. 28 October 2013. BBC News. 27 October 2013.
17. News: Berry. Lynn. International Observers Praise Georgia's Election. 28 October 2013. Associated Press. 28 October 2013.
18. Web site: Fundamental freedoms respected in well-administered presidential election in Georgia, international observers say. OSCE. 29 October 2013. 27 October 2013.
19. Web site: Margvelashvili Set for Outright Victory. Civil Georgia. 28 October 2013. Civil.ge. 28 October 2013.
20. Web site: Joint Statement by EU High Representative Catherine Ashton and Commissioner Štefan Füle on the results of Georgia's presidential election. European Commission. 28 October 2013. Europa.eu. 28 October 2013.
21. Web site: Georgian Presidential Election. U.S. State Department. 28 October 2013. 28 October 2013.
22. News: Nechepurenko. Ivan. With Saakashvili Out, Russia-Georgia Ties Set to Improve, but Slowly. 28 October 2013. The Moscow Times. 28 October 2013.
23. Web site: Carl Bildt. Twitter. 28 October 2013.