2018 Georgian presidential election
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Registered | 3,518,877[1] | ||||||||||||||||||
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Turnout | 46.83% (first round) (![]() 56.5% (second round) ( ![]() | ||||||||||||||||||
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![]() First round results by region or municipality | |||||||||||||||||||
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Presidential elections were held in Georgia on 28 October 2018. The pre-election campaign was marred by a polarized political environment and a series of secret tape recordings aired by the pro-opposition Rustavi 2 TV, leading to allegations of kidnappings and torture by investigators to secure convictions, pressure and coercion on businesses and media, high-level corruption, and selective justice.[2] International observers assessed the elections as competitive and free, stressing that "one side enjoyed an undue advantage and the negative character of the campaign on both sides undermined the process", while the misuse of administrative resources "blurred the line between party and state."[3] However, Transparency International, based on information from a state agency employee, alleged that state agencies were publishing fake identity cards to allow Zourabichvili supporters to cast multiple ballots in the election. According to the plan, five fake IDs were published per individual, and "trustworthy" officials of agencies were vested with the duty of conducting such action.[4]
A second round involving Salome Zourabichvili and Grigol Vashadze was held on 28 November 2018 because no candidate was able to secure at least 50% of the vote in the first round.[5] Salome Zourabichvili won with around 60% of the vote in the second round[6] and took office on 16 December 2018.
Following amendments to the constitution in 2017, the 2018 elections were the last direct presidential vote; after 2018 presidents will be elected by the 300-member College of Electors. In view of these changes, the President will be elected for a term of six years in 2018.[7]
Candidates[]
46 people applied to participate in the elections, 21 of which were rejected by the Election Administration of Georgia.[8] 25 presidential candidates were registered by the Election Administration of Georgia.[8][9] This is the largest number since Georgia's first presidential election in 1991.[10] All 25 candidates were included on the ballot paper.[11]
Name | Occupation | Nominated by | |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Professor | State for the People Movement | |
2 | Davit Bakradze | Member of Parliament | European Georgia |
4 | Politician | Christian‐Democratic Movement | |
5 | Grigol Vashadze | Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia (2008-2012) | United National Movement |
10 | Shalva Natelashvili | Leader of Georgian Labour Party | Georgian Labour Party |
13 | Politician | Christian‐Conservative Party of Georgia | |
17 | Vice President of Georgian National Academy | Party Georgia | |
18 | Akaki Asatiani | Politician | Union of Georgian Traditionalists |
21 | Kakha Kukava | Politician | Free Georgia |
22 | Industry Will Save Georgia | ||
23 | Unemployed | Movement for a Free Georgia | |
25 | David Usupashvili | Leader of Development Movement, former chairman of the Parliament of Georgia | Free Democrats |
27 | Unemployed | Civic Platform – New Georgia | |
28 | Politician | Union of Justice Restoration of the Nation: The Lord Is Our Truth | |
30 | Unemployed | National‐Democratic Party | |
31 | Entrepreneur | Political Movement Freedom – Zviad Gamsakhurdia’s Way | |
35 | Politician | Political Movement of the Veterans and Patriots of Georgia | |
36 | Zurab Japaridze | Leader of Girchi | Girchi |
40 | Chkheidze and Partners Law Firm | New Christian‐Democrats | |
48 | Salome Zourabichvili | Member of Parliament | Initiative Group of Voters |
49 | Founder of TF Construction | Initiative Group of Voters | |
51 | Deputy Chairperson of the Commission for Learning Christian Theology and History of Religion at the Georgian Academy of Sciences | Initiative Group of Voters | |
58 | Entrepreneur | Initiative Group of Voters | |
62 | Director of Publishing House Paragraph | Initiative Group of Voters | |
65 | Unemployed | Initiative Group of Voters |
Withdrawn[]
Democratic Movement[]
- Nino Burjanadze, Georgian politician and lawyer who served as Chairman of Parliament of Georgia (2001-2008). She has served as the acting President of Georgia twice.[12] She backed out of the election on 8 September.[13]
Declined[]
Independent[]
- Giorgi Margvelashvili, incumbent President, officially refused to take part in the election in late August.[14][15]
Opinion polls[]
Pollster | Date | Bakradze EG |
Vashadze UNM |
Zourabichvili Independent |
Natelashvili Labour |
Usupashvili DM |
Japaridze Girchi |
Burjanadze DMUG |
TBD APG |
Margvelashvili Independent |
Elisashvili Independent |
Kukava FG |
Bregadze GM |
None of the Above | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
EXIT POLLS: BCG |
28.10.18 | 17% | 37% | 34% | 5% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
EXIT POLLS: Psychoportrait |
28.10.18 | 9% | 28% | 52% | 2% | 2% | 3% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
EXIT POLLS: Edison Research |
28.10.18 | 10% | 40% | 40% | 3% | 2% | 3% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
Election day (28 October) | ||||||||||||||||
BCG | 20.10.18-24.10.18 | 30% | 27% | 33% | 4% | 2% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
Edison Research | 15.10.18-24.10.18 | 16% | 37% | 32% | 6% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8% | ||
IPN, Ambebi.ge, Kvirispalitra.ge | 24.10.18 | 5% | 27% | 31% | 3% | 11% | 5% | - | - | - | - | - | - | 18% | ||
Edison Research | 25.09.18-4.10.18 | 15% | 31% | 16% | 7% | 3% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 21% | ||
BCG | 15–22 September 2018 | 29% | 28% | 21% | 10% | 6% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6% | ||
Edison Research | 3–23 September 2018 | 18% | 22% | 15% | 8% | 3% | 2% | - | - | - | - | - | - | 32% | ||
Primary | August–September 2018 | 18.9% | 43.9% | 8.8% | 5.7% | 2.1% | - | - | - | - | 3.9% | 8% | - | - | ||
Newposts | August 2018 | 15% | 25% | 12% | 4% | 2% | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 33% | ||
Allnews | 2 August 2018 | 5% | 18% | 19% | - | - | - | 8% | - | 6% | 10% | - | - | 30% | ||
Metronome | August 2018 | 5% | 37% | 8% | 2% | 3% | 27% | 3% | - | 2% | 2% | - | - | 8% | ||
NDI | 23.06.18 —08.07.18 | 6% | 10% | 12% | 4% | - | - | - | - | 6% | - | - | - | - | ||
IRI | 01.04.18 —22.04.18 | 16% | 8% | 17% | 1% | - | - | - | 3% | 10% | - | - | - | - |
Second round[]
Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Vashadze UNM |
Zourabichvili Independent |
Undecided | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
EXIT POLLS: Gallup International |
28.11.18 | 43% | 57% | - | |
EXIT POLLS: Edison Research |
28.11.18 | 45% | 55% | - | |
Second round (28 November) | |||||
Edison Research | 12–18 November 2018 | 52% | 48% | - | |
Pollitic | 18–25 November 2018 | 70% | 30% | - | |
Gallup International | 16–18 November 2018 | 48% | 52% | - | |
Edison Research | 1–9 November 2018 | 41% | 36% | 23% | |
First round (28 October) | |||||
BCG | 20–24 October 2018 | 39% | 27% | - | |
Edison Research | 15–24 October 2018 | 44% | 29% | 27% | |
BCG | 15–22 September 2018 | 40% | 19% | 40% | |
Edison Research | 14–23 September 2018 | 50% | 24% | 26% |
Approval ratings[]
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Results[]
Candidate | Party | First round | Second round | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Votes | % | Votes | % | |||
Salomé Zourabichvili | Independent (Georgian Dream) | 615,572 | 38.64 | 1,147,701 | 59.52 | |
Grigol Vashadze | United National Movement | 601,224 | 37.74 | 780,680 | 40.48 | |
Davit Bakradze | European Georgia | 174,849 | 10.97 | |||
Shalva Natelashvili | Georgian Labour Party | 59,651 | 3.74 | |||
David Usupashvili | Development Movement | 36,037 | 2.26 | |||
Zurab Japaridze | Girchi | 36,034 | 2.26 | |||
Kakha Kukava | Free Georgia | 21,186 | 1.33 | |||
Giorgi Andriadze | Independent | 13,133 | 0.82 | |||
Teimuraz Shashiashvili | Independent | 9,481 | 0.60 | |||
Tamar Tskhoragauli | Tavisupleba | 4,004 | 0.25 | |||
Besarion Tediashvili | Independent | 3,713 | 0.23 | |||
Mikheil Saluashvili | Union for the Restoration of Justice | 2,970 | 0.19 | |||
Levan Chkheidze | New Christian Democrats | 2,895 | 0.18 | |||
Akaki Asatiani | Union of Georgian Traditionalists | 1,994 | 0.13 | |||
Vakhtang Gabunia | Christian-Democratic Movement | 1,958 | 0.12 | |||
Gela Khutsishvili | Georgian Veterans' and Patriots' Political Movement | 1,623 | 0.10 | |||
Kakhaber Chichinadze | Independent | 1,418 | 0.09 | |||
Mikheil Antadze | State for the People | 1,074 | 0.07 | |||
Giorgi Liluashvili | Georgia Party | 892 | 0.06 | |||
Zviad Mekhatishvili | Georgian Christian-Conservative Party | 713 | 0.04 | |||
Otar Meunargia | Industry Will Save Georgia | 664 | 0.04 | |||
Vladimer Nonikashvili | Independent | 633 | 0.04 | |||
Irakli Gorgadze | Movement for a Free Georgia | 531 | 0.03 | |||
Zviad Baghdavadze | Citizen Platform–New Georgia | 477 | 0.03 | |||
Zviad Iashvili | National Democratic Party | 444 | 0.03 | |||
Total | 1,593,170 | 100.00 | 1,928,381 | 100.00 | ||
Valid votes | 1,593,170 | 96.73 | 1,928,381 | 96.99 | ||
Invalid/blank votes | 53,847 | 3.27 | 59,778 | 3.01 | ||
Total votes | 1,647,017 | 100.00 | 1,988,159 | 100.00 | ||
Registered voters/turnout | 3,518,877 | 46.81 | 3,528,658 | 56.34 | ||
Source: CEC, CEC |
Reactions[]
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe stated that the elections were "competitive and professionally administered," but noted concerned about a "substantial imbalance in donations", "excessively high spending limits", and a "lack of analytical reporting" as contributing factors to creating an unlevel playing field.[16]
On 29 November, the second day after the run-off results were released, the United National Movement leader-in-exile Mikheil Saakashvili encouraged supporters not to accept the election results and to hold demonstrations against the newly elected president. He also called for civil disobedience toward the police and armed forces.
References[]
- ^ "Certified Official Results of the 28 October 2018 First Round of the Georgian Presidential Election" (PDF). Central Election Commission (in Georgian). Retrieved 14 November 2018.
- ^ "Georgia's tapes scandals suggest something is rotten at the top of Georgian politics". OC Media. 17 October 2018. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
- ^ "Georgia's First Woman President Sworn In Amid Opposition Protests". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 17 December 2018. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
- ^ "Investigation into instances of alleged election fraud must be launched".
- ^ "Second Round of Presidential Election will be Held on November 28". Central Election Commission. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
- ^ "Results 2018". Central Election Commission. Archived from the original on 22 October 2017. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
- ^ "Key Points of Newly Adopted Constitution". Civil Georgia. 27 September 2017. Retrieved 9 December 2017.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "25 Presidential Candidates are Registered for October 28, 2018 Elections". Election Administration of Georgia. 23 September 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
- ^ "October 28, 2018 Presidential Elections of Georgia Registered Presidential Candidates" (PDF). cesko.ge. Retrieved 20 December 2020.
- ^ "Presidential Elections 2018: Weekly Digest No.2". Civil.ge. 25 September 2018. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
- ^ The Term for Presidential Candidates to Withdraw their Candidacies has Expired
- ^ "Presidential Candidate Zurabishvili Claims Georgia Started August 2008 War". Georgia Today on the Web. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
- ^ "Nino Burjanadze boycotts presidential election". Interpressnews. 8 September 2018. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
- ^ "Current president Giorgi Margvelashvili not to run in presidential elections". Agenda.ge. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
- ^ "Goodbye, Mr. President". Georgia Today on the Web. Retrieved 5 October 2018.
- ^ ¢Voters had a genuine choice and candidates campaigned freely, but on an unlevel playing field, international observers say Archived 4 November 2018 at the Wayback Machine Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, press release of 29 October 2018.
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