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Report
Georgians head to polls to vote in key parliamentary election
FRANCE 24 English
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10/26/2024
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News
Transcript
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00:00
As parliamentary elections in Georgia approach, voters are facing a pivotal choice over the
00:05
fundamental question of the future course of their country.
00:09
Memories are fresh of a 2008 war with Russia over the Moscow-backed breakaway regions of
00:15
Abkhazia and South Ossetia ending in Georgia's defeat.
00:19
Among its 3.7 million residents, there are those who will vote in the hope their choice
00:24
will steer Georgia towards closer ties with Western Europe.
00:28
The E.U. granted Georgia official candidate status last December.
00:32
I want Europe so that my grandchildren can get an education and live in European Georgia,
00:39
so that they're independent, so that their education is valued, and so that our young
00:43
people don't have to go to Europe to get an education.
00:48
The ruling party in the country is called Georgian Dream and was founded by billionaire
00:52
Bidzina Ivanishvili.
00:55
It's been in power for 12 years.
00:57
Ivanishvili vows to ban opposition groups if his party wins on Saturday.
01:03
The party came to power as pro-E.U., but relations with Brussels are now strained over a foreign
01:09
influence law introduced in May.
01:11
Accession talks are suspended.
01:13
In September, Georgian Dream introduced a law curbing LGBT rights.
01:18
Critics say both pieces of legislation are inspired by Russia.
01:24
Georgia Dream is running on a vow to ensure peace.
01:27
Its campaign billboards contrast images of Georgia and Ukraine, suggesting that if the
01:32
pro-Western opposition wins, it will lead to war.
01:36
Here in a town near the border with South Ossetia, that message resounds with many.
01:44
I think the first thing that will happen is that we'll get sucked into war.
01:49
We have already been through one war in 2008, and if there's another one, we won't have
01:55
economic development.
02:00
There has been a tense political atmosphere in the run-up to the vote, with protests in
02:04
the capital.
02:05
Analysts warn that the situation is tenuous.
02:08
I hope that we can avoid mass escalation if the government pulls all the stops and cracks
02:13
down on protesters with Moscow's support.
02:16
What worries me is the police calling Moscow and actually asking them to do what they pledged
02:22
they would do, and that is to stand by the Georgian Dream.
02:24
We cannot rule anything out.
02:27
Georgian Dream says it remains committed to EU membership.
02:31
Brussels and others will be following the vote closely, as Georgia's future hangs in
02:36
the balance.
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