Georgia's Contentious Election: Recounts, Protests, and Allegations

Georgia faces a political crisis following allegations of election fraud. The central election commission plans a recount after independent monitors raised issues regarding the parliamentary election's conduct. Opposition parties claim the results favoring the Georgian Dream party are manipulated, prompting international demands for thorough investigations.

Georgia's political landscape has been rocked by allegations of election irregularities as the central electoral commission announced plans to recount ballots at 14% of polling stations. This comes after independent monitors expressed concerns regarding the integrity of Saturday's parliamentary election.

The official results awarded the victory to the ruling Georgian Dream party with nearly 54% of the vote. However, opposition parties and Georgia's president have alleged manipulation, inciting protests in Tbilisi and prompting calls from the European Union, NATO, and the United States for a comprehensive investigation into claims of vote-buying, voter intimidation, and ballot stuffing.

The election commission, while previously lauding the election as free and fair, has committed to a transparent recount process, inviting authorized representatives to observe. My Vote, a monitoring coalition, reported extensive voter irregularities, supporting its claims with documented evidence which it plans to present to the electoral commission.

(With inputs from agencies.)