Georgia's most powerful man won parliamentary elections on Saturday, according to the first official results, but the opposition called on the ruling party to concede defeat and allow the South Caucasus country to move closer to the European Union.
Pro-Western opposition parties claim to have collectively won a majority.
The founder of the ruling pro-Russian Georgian Dream billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, the pro-European opposition and foreign diplomats considered the elections a turning point that will decide whether Georgia will move closer to the West and the European Union or turn to Moscow, while Russia's war in Ukraine continues.
The first official results showed that the ruling party won about 53 percent of the votes, the election commission announced.
The opposition gathered together about 39 percent of the votes: the Coalition for Changes 11,2 percent of the votes, Unity - For the salvation of Georgia about 9,8 percent, Strong Georgia about nine percent and the party For Georgia 8,2 percent of the votes.
Other parties do not exceed the electoral threshold of five percent.
Georgians elected 150 deputies among candidates from 18 parties. According to preliminary data, Georgian Dream will have around 88 and the opposition 62 seats in the parliament. 76 votes are needed to appoint a government.
Initial results were based on electronic vote counting, which was expected to be completed on election night. The manual counting of votes, as well as the counting of polling stations that did not have electronic voting systems, is expected to be completed on October 27.
The turnout was almost 59 percent, the Central Election Commission announced, more than in the 2020 and 2016 elections, but about two percent less than in 2012, when Georgian Dream came to power.
Many expected Georgian Dream's victory announcement to spark protests, given the deep opposition to the party among many in Tbilisi. In the spring, the city witnessed large demonstrations against the adoption of the notorious "foreign agents" law. But shortly before midnight, masses of people were not seen on the streets.
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