TBILISI - Georgia's most powerful man won a parliamentary election on Oct 26, with more than 99 per cent of precincts counted, a victory that opposition politicians refused to recognise, alleging "falsification".
The outcome is a blow to pro-Western Georgians, who see the election as a choice between a ruling party that has deepened ties with Russia and an opposition that has hoped to fast-track integration with the European Union.
Georgian Dream's reclusive billionaire founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, who campaigned heavily on keeping Georgia out of the war in Ukraine, claimed success on Oct 27 after his party clinched more than 54 per cent of the vote.
"It is a rare case in the world that the same party achieves such success in such a difficult situation. This is a good indicator of the talent of the Georgian people," Mr Ivanishvili told cheering supporters.
Opposition parties contested the election results at a news briefing held in the early hours of Oct 27 and said they would not accept them.
"This is a constitutional coup," said Mr Nika Gvaramia, leader of the Coalition for Change opposition party, according to the Interpress news agency.
"The Georgian people have cast a vote for the European future of this country, and therefore we will not accept these falsified results published by the CEC (Central Election Commission)," said Ms Tina Bokuchava, leader of the opposition United National Movement.
Esta historia es de la edición October 28, 2024 de The Straits Times.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición October 28, 2024 de The Straits Times.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
M2M to reunite for Singapore concert
It has been 22 years since they went away, but Norwegian pop duo M2M are back and coming to Singapore.
Industry sources say the author also wrote BTS memoir
Hybe's document on K-pop industry trends
Paddington Bear's 'high jinks' are back in third movie
LONDON - Paddington is back and he has lost none of his \"charm\" and \"high jinks\", according to English actor Hugh Bonneville, who again guides the trouble-prone bear through the third film in the hit series that saw its premiere on Nov 3.
Quincy Jones left indelible imprints on jazz, pop and hip-hop
LOS ANGELES - Quincy Jones, a major influence on American music in his work with artists ranging from Count Basie to Frank Sinatra and who then reshaped pop music by collaborating with Michael Jackson, died on Nov 3 at the age of 91.
Young Chinese pianist brings wealth of emotion
There are so many young Chinese pianists plying their art these days that it is easy to reduce them to Lang Lang, Yuja Wang, Li Yundi and the rest.
White faces, open mouths
Avant-garde Japanese dance butoh finds foothold in Singapore
Seeking sleep at Hoshinoya Tokyo
TOKYO In December 2023, I check into Hoshinoya Tokyo for a sleep retreat.
Explore the bustling Ginza and Marunouchi districts in Tokyo
Ginza, located near Tokyo Station, is one of the city's busiest high-end shopping districts.
Pastoral and scenic views at JW Marriott Jeju Resort & Spa
JEJU - The island bursts with juicy tangerines, and is where women well into their 80s free dive for seafood against a backdrop of dormant volcanoes and tea estates.
Connecting with the city's past at The Murray Hong Kong
Although brand-new hotels pop up all the time, restored heritage buildings-turned-hotels have an allure of their own.