Georgian Dream leads in Georgia’s 2025 municipal elections

Reuters

Preliminary results from Georgia’s Central Election Commission show the ruling Georgian Dream party leading in the 4 October municipal elections, including in the Tbilisi mayoral race.

According to the Central Election Commission (CEC), Georgian Dream has received 80.78% of the nationwide proportional vote, while the main opposition parties, Lelo/Strong Georgia and Gakharia – For Georgia, have secured 6.78% and 3.87% respectively. Smaller parties, including Girchi and Conservatives for Georgia, remain below 4%.

The results are based on data from 2,279 of 3,061 precincts where votes were counted electronically. Overall, 12 parties participated in the 2025 municipal elections, compared to 43 in 2021. Only two major opposition groups took part, as others boycotted the vote, citing the arrests of several political leaders.

The CEC reported that voter turnout reached 40.93%, lower than in 2021 (51.92%) and 2017 (45.65%). The lowest participation was recorded in Tbilisi at 31.08%.

In the capital, Georgian Dream candidate Kakha Kaladze holds a strong lead in the mayoral race with 71.56% of the vote, followed by Irakli Kacharava with 12.46% and Irakli Chikhladze with 7.53%.

The elections were held amid a tense political climate and large-scale protests in Tbilisi. Thousands gathered on Liberty Square, calling for political change and questioning the fairness of the process. Later in the evening, police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse protesters attempting to move toward the presidential palace. The Interior Ministry urged demonstrators to comply with police instructions, while government officials said voting proceeded according to regulations.

Traffic restrictions remain in parts of central Tbilisi following the overnight unrest.

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