28.05.2008 - Source: Konrad Adenauer Stiftung

Background information on parliamentary elections brought forward to 21 May 2008; ruling party United National Movement won elections with large majority ("Parlamentswahlen in Georgien: Erdrutschsieg für Saakaschvilis Partei") [ID 23412]

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26.05.2008 - Source: BBC News

Tbilisi: Opposition supporters protest over last week's election results; according to them, the elections were rigged; so far, there have been no clashes ("Georgia braced for angry protests") [ID 23303]

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24.05.2008 - Source: Neue Zürcher Zeitung

Party of president Saakashvili wins parliamentary election, will receive about 120 of 150 seats; opposition accuses government of electoral fraud; OSCE election monitors declare election acceptable ("Saakaschwilis Partei gewinnt in Georgien") [ID 23302]

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23.05.2008 - Source: Reporters Sans Frontières

Several attacks on journalists during parliamentary elections ("Several attacks on journalists during parliamentary elections") [ID 23299]

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23.05.2008 - Source: BBC News

Main opposition bloc says it will boycott new parliament, alleging general poll was rigged ("Opposition vows boycott") [ID 23300]

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23.05.2008 - Source: BBC News

President Mikhail Saakashvili's party takes majority in parliament after landslide poll win ("Poll landslide confirmed") [ID 23301]

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22.05.2008 - Source: Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

Statement on preliminary conclusions and preliminary findings (background; election system and legal framework; election administration; voter registration; candidate registration; campaign environment; participation of women and national minorities; media; complaints and appeals; domestic and international observers; election day) on the 21 May 2008 parliamentary elections ("Statement of Preliminary Findings and Conclusions on the 21 May 2008 Parliamentary Elections") [ID 23297]

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22.05.2008 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

If confirmed, results of parliamentary elections would give National Unity Party absolute majority of at least 60 percent; governing party would thus have control over legislation; 22 percent of election observers evaluate vote count as "bad" and report of acts of intimidation; opposition holds rally in Tbilisi, claiming to have won the vote ("Georgian President Hails Poll Victory") [ID 23298]

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19.05.2008 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Opposition parties have in recent weeks repeatedly reported of pressure on their candidates by authorities; there are also reports of attempted vote-buying by candidates representing ruling United National Movement party ("Analysis: Georgian Opposition Sounds Alarm Over Parliamentary Elections") [ID 23294]

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15.05.2008 - Source: Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

Report on situation before parliamentary elections (political and campaign environment; election administration; voter registration; media; complaints and appeals; participation of women and minorities; observers) ("Interim Report No.2; 26 April–9 May 2008") [ID 23244]

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15.05.2008 - Source: Civil Georgia

According to OSCE report, state employees were intimidated in order to secure their vote for ruling party, United National Movement (UNM); relatives of inmates in pre-trial prisons enticed to gather support for government party to secure release from prison ("OSCE Interim Report Notes Voter Intimidation") [ID 23245]

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15.05.2008 - Source: Civil Georgia

According to its leader, Topadze, Industrialist party bloc to focus on majoritarian candidates; ruling party has satellite parties acting as opposition parties ("Industrialists Focus on Majoritarian Contest") [ID 23246]

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15.05.2008 - Source: Civil Georgia

Despite opposition protest, 2 think tanks announce to perform exit polls in upcoming parliamentary elections; opposition fears increased danger of vote rigging in advance ("Exit Polls Planned Despite Protest") [ID 23247]

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14.05.2008 - Source: Civil Georgia

Outline of election administration commissions ("Election Administration") [ID 23243]

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13.05.2008 - Source: EurasiaNet

Article on the role of the media in the parliamentary election campaign; according to media experts, there is "still visibility of political influence on the main TV networks" ("Media part of the debate in Georgian election") [ID 23185]

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09.05.2008 - Source: Civil Georgia

Public defender claims there is increased number of cases of election-related intimidations ("Public Defender 'Alarmed' over Cases of Voter Intimidation") [ID 23183]

Document(s): Open document

06.05.2008 - Source: EurasiaNet

Opposition groups complain about international election monitors; according to member of parliament Zurab Tkemaladz, international observers are "a little too passive" and cannot help to improve elections ("Opposition politicians complain about international election monitors") [ID 23181]

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05.05.2008 - Source: Civil Georgia

List of majoritarian parliamentary candidates ("List of Majoritarian MP Candidates") [ID 23178]

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05.05.2008 - Source: Civil Georgia

Tsageri constituency: Valery Giorgobiani, parliamentary majoritarian candidate, withdraws from elections; audio tape published by opposition gives record of him threatening to fire state employees, in case he fails to reach 80 percent vote ("Ruling Party MP Candidate Exits Race over Audio Tape") [ID 23179]

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05.05.2008 - Source: Civil Georgia

Kutaisi constituency: Teimuraz Shalikiani, parliamentary candidate for Rightist Alliance-Topadze-Industrialists election bloc, withdraws from elections; he gives pressure exerted on campaign activists for reason ("MP Candidate in Kutaisi Pulls Out Citing ‘Pressure’") [ID 23180]

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03.05.2008 - Source: Civil Georgia

Central Election Commission publishes updated voter list ("CEC Updates Voter List") [ID 23177]

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02.05.2008 - Source: Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty

Article on the political situation and the 21 May 2008 parliamentary election campaign ("Election Campaign Gets Under Way") [ID 23106]

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28.04.2008 - Source: Civil Georgia

List of MP candidates of the 3 election blocs and 9 parties running in the 21 May 2008 parliamentary elections ("Party Lists") [ID 23101]

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22.04.2008 - Source: Civil Georgia

Davit Bakradze, the foreign minister and the new number one in the ruling party’s list, to be new parliamentary chairman if National Movement party wins parliamentary elections ("Bakradze to Become New Speaker if Ruling Party Wins") [ID 23097]

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21.04.2008 - Source: Civil Georgia

List of first 50 persons of Republican Party running for parliament in 21 May elections ("The first 50 persons in the Republican Party’s list of MP candidates") [ID 23041]

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21.04.2008 - Source: Civil Georgia

Opposition demanded that the ruling National Movement (NM) party be barred from running in the 21 May 2008 parliamentary elections; they accused the NM of submitting the list of candidates after the deadline had expired ("Opposition Wants Ruling Party to be Barred from Running") [ID 23093]

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21.04.2008 - Source: Civil Georgia

Parliamentary chairperson Burjanadze will not run for the 21 May parliamentary election due to a failure to agree on the National Movement party list of candidates ("Burjanadze: I will not Seek Re-election") [ID 23094]

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21.04.2008 - Source: Civil Georgia

Opposition demands ruling National Movement party to be barred from parliamentary elections; member of 9 party opposition claims that ruling party failed to submit proper list of candidates to Central Election Commission (CEC) on time ("Opposition Wants Ruling Party to be Barred from Running") [ID 23095]

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18.04.2008 - Source: Civil Georgia

Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA) accuses 7 members of ruling party of vote-buying and therefore demands their exclusion from candidacy in parliamentary elections ("Watchdog: Seven MP Candidates should be Barred from Running") [ID 23040]

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17.04.2008 - Source: Institute for War and Peace Reporting

Article on the political situation in the run-up to the parliamentary elections on 21 May 2008; according to a fact-finding visit by a team from the Council of Europe, there had been “little or no improvement” in the general political environment since the January polls ("Georgian Opposition Faces Uphill Election Struggle") [ID 23038]

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16.04.2008 - Source: Civil Georgia

Report written by monitors of Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE) sees little improvement in political climate ahead of elections in May; use of surveillance cameras at polling stations and election observers' restricted access to footage remains issue of concern ("PACE Monitors on Pre-Election Situation in Georgia") [ID 23037]

Document(s): Open document

15.04.2008 - Source: Civil Georgia

List of candidates officially nominated as of 15 April ("List of Majoritarian MP Candidates") [ID 23036]

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08.04.2008 - Source: Civil Georgia

A total of 15 parties set up 3 separate election blocs to run in May 21 parliamentary elections: Information on political parties and blocs they formed ("Three Blocs, Nine Parties Run in Parliamentary Polls") [ID 22859]

Document(s): Open document

10.03.2008 - Source: Civil Georgia

Lawmakers from New Rights Party go on hunger strike to demand that authorities meet opposition demands and secure free and fair parliamentary elections ("New Rights Go on Hunger Strike") [ID 22565]

Document(s): Open document