Opposition boycott strengthened Georgian Dream’s control over local Gov’t, Kakha Gogolashvili

Political analyst Kakha Gogolashvili on Monday criticized opposition claims that the October 4 local elections had been effectively boycotted, arguing that such statements were politically motivated and did not reflect the actual turnout.

Gogolashvili noted that while opposition-leaning voters largely abstained, voter participation nationwide was 41%, which was comparable to local elections in other Eastern European and Western Balkan countries over the past five years, where turnout typically ranges from 40-45%.

“It is incorrect and politically charged to claim that the boycott prevented people from voting and that Georgian Dream lost legitimacy. In reality, it was mainly opposition supporters who stayed away, allowing Georgian Dream to consolidate control over 64 municipalities for the next four years,” Gogolashvili wrote on social media.

He added that turnout in Tbilisi was particularly low at 31%, largely due to the city’s strong opposition base, which could have posed the greatest challenge to Georgian Dream if not for the boycott and prior opposition promises of “regime overthrow.”

“In my view, the only tangible result of the boycott and the idea of peacefully overthrowing the government is that Georgian Dream has now fully consolidated control over local government institutions, particularly the major cities. Even if extraordinary parliamentary elections are held, there is practically no legal mechanism to reverse these results,” Gogolashvili concluded.