Georgia’s local election run-off competitive and well run, but undermined by deepening polarization and continued unlevel playing field

TBILISI, 31 October 2021 – The second round of Georgia’s local elections was generally competitive and organized professionally, but increasing polarization and negative rhetoric, as well as allegations of voter intimidation and the continuing advantage of incumbency, demonstrate the need for further reforms, international observers said in a statement today.

The joint observation mission from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the European Parliament (EP) noted that while recent legislative changes largely addressed previous recommendations to regulate election runoffs, the legal framework remains complex and contains a number of inconsistencies.

“While these elections were well organised and transparent, there were a number of shortcomings that became evident in the run-up to the second round as the tone of the political debate became increasingly confrontational and claims of pressure and intimidation continued,” said Albert Jónsson, who heads the ODIHR election observation mission. “The purpose of our observation is to contribute to the democratic process, but it’s then for the authorities to act upon our recommendations. Our offer to support further reform for the benefit of Georgian society will remain.”

Some 2 million voters were eligible to vote in the second round of the elections. While the elections were technically well run, concerns over the impartiality of election commissions at the lower level persisted. Election day itself was generally calm, although there were instances of mutual provocation by supporters of political parties outside polling stations. The observers assessed the opening and voting procedures positively in most polling stations, but the ongoing practice of representatives of observer organizations acting as party supporters and at times interfering with the process remains of concern.

While candidates were able to campaign freely, the campaign intensified ahead of the second round. There was an increasing focus on national issues, making for a fierce political competition, greater polarization and an increasingly offensive rhetoric. Observers noted continuing allegations of intimidation and pressure on voters, including threats of dismissal. By making announcements between the two rounds about planned public investment and promises of social benefits, the ruling party again enjoyed an undue advantage.

Polarization continued to be the key characteristic of the media environment ahead of the second round, with many private television channels either voicing clear support for the ruling party and providing negative coverage of the opposition or vice versa. While campaign coverage by the public broadcasters was mostly neutral, the main private television channels maintained or at times increased the bias in their reporting. There was very little coverage dedicated to policies or issues of local interest, limiting the ability of voters to make an informed choice.

“The election was calm and well run, and the administrative staff well trained and instructed. My sincere thanks to the many Georgian women who worked in the commissions, where they represented the overwhelming majority of staff. At the same time very few candidates were women, and I expect and hope this will change in the time to come,” said Inese Vaidere, Head of the EP Delegation. “We witnessed once again that national politics and the aggression surrounding it took precedence over local issues, which made it more difficult for voters to form a genuine understanding of the policies represented by the candidates.”

The international election observation to the second round of the local elections in Georgia totalled 149 observers from 31 countries, including 142 ODIHR experts and long- and short-term observers, and 7 from the EP.

For more information, please contact:

Katya Andrusz, ODIHR: +48 609 522 266 or katya.andrusz@odihr.pl

Raffaele Luise, EP: +32 477 855324 or raffaele.luise@europarl.europa.eu