Contested Elections Spark Protests in Georgia

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili has urged citizens to protest against the controversial parliamentary election results declared on Saturday, which showed a victory for the ruling Georgian Dream party amid claims of electoral violations. Critics decry the elections as fraudulent, threatening Georgia's pro-European aspirations.

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili called on citizens to protest the controversial results of Saturday's parliamentary elections, proclaiming them a "Russian special operation." The ruling Georgian Dream party reportedly gained nearly 54% of the vote, despite opposition party disputes and monitors' reports of significant violations.

Zourabichvili, once an ally of the ruling party, now a critic, claims the elections were fraudulent. She urged Georgians to gather in Tbilisi to voice their dissent. The election results, affirmed by an almost complete count, demonstrate a deepening political rift between pro-Western Georgians and pro-Russian ties pursued by the Georgian Dream party.

The ruling party's victory, marred by alleged infractions such as ballot-stuffing and voter intimidation, raises concerns of democratic regression as observed by international monitors. These developments threaten to strain Georgia's European Union aspirations amid political tensions and geopolitical challenges associated with Georgian Dream's fourth term in office.

(With inputs from agencies.)