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2008 Georgian parliamentary election

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Field	Value
country	Georgia
previous_election	[2004](2004-georgian-parliamentary-election)
next_election	[2012](2012-georgian-parliamentary-election)
seats_for_election	All 150 seats in the Parliament
majority_seats	76
turnout	52.82% ( 11.11pp)
election_date	21 May 2008
first_election	yes
leader1	Davit Bakradze
party1	United National Movement (Georgia)
seats1	119
percentage1	59.18
leader2	Levan Gachechiladze
party2	–NR
color2	#225BA8
seats2	17{{efn
*{{nowrap	{{Color box	#8cd309	border	silver}} New Rights Party}} (5)
*{{color box	gray	border	silver}} Independent (4)
*{{color box	#142d65	border	silver}} National Forum (1)
*{{color box	#dc241f	border	silver}} People's Party (1)
*{{color box	#fad300	border	silver}} The Way of Georgia (1)
*{{color box	#8B0000	border	silver}} Conservative Party (1)
*{{color box	#88000C	border	silver}} Tavisupleba (1)
*{{color box	gray	border	silver}} Movement for United Georgia (1)
*	border	silver}} Georgian Troupe (1)
*	border	silver}} On Our Own (1)}}
percentage2	17.73
leader3	Giorgi Targamadze
party3	Christian-Democratic Movement (Georgia)
seats3	6
percentage3	8.66
leader4	Shalva Natelashvili
party4	Georgian Labour Party
seats4	6
percentage4	7.44
leader5	David Usupashvili
party5	Republican Party of Georgia
seats5	2
percentage5	3.78
map	Party Vote Results by Territory in the 2008 Georgian Parliamentary Election.png
map_caption	Proportional vote by electoral district
title	Prime Minister
before_election	Lado Gurgenidze
before_party	Independent politician
after_election	Lado Gurgenidze
after_party	Independent politician

(5)
Independent (4)
National Forum (1)
People's Party (1)
The Way of Georgia (1)
Conservative Party (1)
Tavisupleba (1)
Movement for United Georgia (1)
Georgian Troupe (1)
On Our Own (1)}}

Parliamentary elections were held in Georgia on 21 May 2008. President Mikheil Saakashvili proposed a referendum on bringing them forward from fall to spring after the 2007 Georgian demonstrations. The referendum was held at the same time as the early presidential election on 5 January 2008; the results indicated that voters were largely in favour of having the elections in spring.

The Central Election Commission registered 3,458,020 voters, significantly higher than the 2,343,087 registered in 2004. The election was observed by 14 international and 31 local organizations.

Pre-election process

The pre-election period was principally monitored by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) as well as several local watchdogs. The PACE observers reported “little or no improvement” in the political climate after the January 5 presidential election, which was held in the tense aftermath of the November 2007 political crisis and resulted in the reelection of Mikheil Saakashvili to his second term. The monitoring mission noted that “the political climate is still dominated by a lack of trust and absence of constructive dialogue between the authorities and the opposition”, one result of this being “the failure of the electoral reform that the authorities and the opposition agreed upon in the aftermath of the November 2007 events.”

The amendments to the election code passed by the Parliament in March 2008 took into account recommendations made by the PACE, such as the abolition of additional voters’ lists and voter registration on polling day; lowering of the electoral threshold from 7% to 5%; the simplification and clarification of election-related complaints and appeals procedures; the introduction of party representation in the District Election Commissions. However, the PACE noted that a number of its other recommendations remained unaddressed.

This period also saw a significant reshuffle among the major political players. On February 29, 2008, the moderate Republican Party of Georgia left the nine-party opposition coalition , which spearheaded anti-government protests in November 2007, announcing that they would run independently for the parliamentary election, targeting mainly moderate and undecided voters. On the other hand, the New Rights party, which had distanced themselves from the 2007 demonstrations, now joined the nine-party coalition under an election bloc named United Opposition–New Rights.

Another key event, which sent shockwaves across Georgia's political scene on April 21, 2008, was the refusal by Nino Burjanadze, the outgoing parliamentary chairwoman and Saakashvili's ally, to run on the president-led United National Movement (UNM) ticket, citing an absence of consensus within the UNM leadership regarding the party list.

Contending parties

Three election blocs and nine parties contested this election:

United National Movement, ruling party led by President Saakashvili;
United Opposition – National Council – New Rights, a nine-party bloc led by the New Rights with the Conservative Party of Georgia, Georgia's Way, Freedom Movement, On Our Own Party, People's Party, Movement for United Georgia, Georgian Troupe and National Forum. The New Rights was led by David Gamkrelidze. The bloc was led by the former presidential candidate and Saakashvili's principal rival Levan Gachechiladze, co-founder of the New Rights and its former chair;
Republican Party of Georgia, led by Davit Usupashvili;
Georgian Labour Party, led by Shalva Natelashvili;
Christian-Democratic Movement, founded and led by the former Imedi TV journalist Giorgi Targamadze;
Rightist Alliance – Topadze Industrialists, uniting Industry Will Save Georgia led by the beer magnate Gogi Topadze, the National Democratic Party and Unity led by the former Soviet Georgian leader Jumber Patiashvili;
Union of Georgian Traditionalists – Our Georgia – Georgian Women Party for Justice and Equality alliance;
Christian-Democratic Alliance, uniting the former presidential candidate Gia Maisashvili, the Green Party and Temur Shashiashvili, a former governor of Imereti region under ex-President Eduard Shevardnadze;
The Georgian Politics, a party recently set up by Gocha Pipia, a member of the outgoing parliament;
Our Country;
National Party of Radical-Democrats of Georgia;
Union of Georgian Sportsmen.

The Central Election Commission refused to register 37 political parties for the election, on account of various irregularities in their submissions.

Opinion polls

On May 5, 2008, the United States-based company Greenberg Quinlan Rosner published the results of a United National Movement-commissioned survey, according to which the UNM had the support of 44 percent, compared to 12 percent for the United Opposition Council, 11 percent for the Christian Democratic Movement, 7 percent for the Labour Party, and 4 percent for the Republican Party; 16 percent were undecided.

Conduct

On election day, there was a shooting incident in the village Khurcha, near Zugdidi, in the west of the country. Three people were hospitalized. Close-up footage of the shooting was captured by a TV crew from Rustavi 2. President Saakashvili claimed that the shooting had been an attempt to disrupt the election. An investigation was carried out by the Norwegian Helsinki Committee within hours, and concluded that the shooting had most likely been carried out by Georgian forces.{{cite web

On 22 May 2008, OSCE observers stated that the poll was an improvement from the presidential election held earlier that year, but that it was stilled marred by a number of imperfections. Early results indicated that UNM had 63% and the United Opposition Council 13%, but the opposition's partial results from Tbilisi gave the UOC 40%, and the UNM - 32%. The Christian Democrats and the Labour Party also cleared the threshold.

Results

Proportional results by territory

Territory	Turnout	UNM	UO	CDM	GLP	RP	Others	Lead
Mtatsminda	57.77	45.42	33.72	4.60	6.47	5.43	4.36	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	11.70
Vake	55.76	33.77	42.43	5.70	6.80	6.41	4.89	8.66
Saburtalo	52.64	37.94	35.80	5.99	8.65	6.25	5.37	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	2.14
Krtsanisi	51.05	56.21	23.75	5.57	8.42	2.77	3.28	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	32.46
Isani	43.09	46.91	27.02	7.00	10.44	3.63	5.00	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	19.89
Samgori	41.91	46.06	26.44	8.45	12.91	3.21	2.93	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	19.62
Chughureti	48.85	40.07	34.13	7.15	10.79	4.00	3.86	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	5.94
Didube	54.37	36.90	36.77	7.76	9.58	4.96	4.03	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	0.13
Nadzaladevi	47.68	38.33	29.28	8.10	16.06	4.82	3.41	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	9.05
Gldani	42.91	39.80	27.67	10.59	15.67	3.10	3.17	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	12.13
Sagarejo	68.43	70.00	14.62	5.85	5.78	2.25	1.50	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	55.38
Gurjaani	53.60	66.97	12.88	8.35	7.44	2.98	1.38	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	54.09
Sighnaghi	61.50	70.22	14.16	5.30	4.86	3.73	1.73	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	56.06
Dedoplistskaro	55.00	58.49	15.92	8.05	11.29	4.78	1.47	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	42.57
Lagodekhi	56.83	65.76	10.89	8.99	5.82	5.43	3.11	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	54.87
Kvareli	61.65	59.56	15.69	10.16	7.34	6.06	1.19	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	43.87
Telavi	50.38	59.68	20.09	11.23	4.23	2.45	2.32	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	39.59
Akhmeta	60.86	67.91	9.57	7.53	9.47	3.82	1.70	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	58.34
Tianeti	59.06	65.50	9.00	1.61	21.30	0.98	1.61	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	44.20
Rustavi	44.36	48.58	23.06	11.80	9.62	3.02	3.92	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	25.52
Gardabani	49.24	74.35	9.06	5.05	6.96	3.09	1.49	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	65.29
Marneuli	46.71	83.95	7.06	3.34	1.33	2.23	2.09	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	76.89
Bolnisi	54.91	83.27	6.89	3.67	2.54	1.77	1.86	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	76.38
Dmanisi	51.37	84.69	8.31	3.66	1.96	0.43	0.95	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	76.38
Tsalka	35.24	74.40	16.32	3.09	1.88	2.97	1.34	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	58.08
Tetritskaro	53.27	62.47	12.04	10.49	9.98	3.05	1.97	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	50.43
Mtskheta	70.79	69.40	8.92	3.07	13.85	2.47	2.29	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	55.55
Dusheti	57.35	61.89	5.41	1.53	28.19	1.92	1.06	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	33.70
Kazbegi	54.98	44.49	14.98	11.18	14.34	12.60	2.41	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	29.51
Kaspi	63.78	73.33	11.91	3.53	6.74	3.40	1.09	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	61.42
Akhalgori	63.72	71.03	8.67	2.93	12.22	2.69	2.46	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	58.81
Gori	57.92	73.46	10.06	4.85	6.62	3.00	2.01	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	63.40
Kareli	70.15	76.97	5.98	5.24	6.42	3.36	2.03	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	70.55
Khashuri	74.18	70.30	8.28	7.85	8.90	3.30	1.37	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	61.40
Borjomi	58.84	48.71	20.13	15.46	9.36	3.69	2.65	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	28.58
Akhaltsikhe	85.20	83.48	4.82	5.30	3.53	1.70	1.17	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	78.18
Adigeni	82.61	86.66	4.95	4.09	1.54	1.72	1.04	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	81.71
Aspindza	85.67	86.92	4.50	1.76	3.95	2.19	0.68	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	82.42
Akhalkalaki	78.96	90.21	1.45	0.83	2.37	0.35	4.79	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	87.84
Ninotsminda	82.04	91.71	1.56	0.31	3.55	0.87	2.00	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	88.16
Oni	64.50	54.37	28.96	2.27	5.42	4.30	4.68	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	25.41
Ambrolauri	68.66	61.47	25.98	3.64	4.79	2.29	1.83	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	35.49
Tsageri	61.28	56.28	11.29	13.83	5.04	9.38	4.18	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	42.45
Lentekhi	73.06	73.42	6.79	0.98	5.12	6.56	7.13	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	66.63
Mestia	64.82	45.69	32.98	11.09	3.70	1.41	5.13	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	12.71
Kharagauli	65.50	50.23	22.79	7.08	4.91	12.45	2.54	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	27.44
Terjola	57.90	68.20	11.78	6.26	5.63	5.27	2.86	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	56.42
Sachkhere	53.46	60.47	10.89	12.33	7.05	6.41	2.85	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	48.14
Zestaponi	48.99	51.27	16.31	11.46	13.76	3.41	3.79	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	34.96
Baghdati	57.93	58.28	21.57	7.97	6.71	3.31	2.16	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	36.71
Vani	51.59	50.28	11.38	23.58	6.86	4.54	3.36	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	26.70
Samtredia	50.31	52.96	21.04	13.91	6.32	2.82	2.95	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	31.92
Khoni	58.36	61.01	14.20	9.63	4.18	8.67	2.31	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	46.81
Chiatura	47.12	48.73	13.15	20.71	8.02	6.04	3.35	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	28.02
Tkibuli	52.78	56.00	11.25	9.70	6.21	4.58	12.26	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	44.75
Tskaltubo	44.22	57.64	10.67	14.71	7.09	3.42	6.47	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	42.93
Kutaisi	42.73	50.78	17.79	17.30	6.77	3.06	4.30	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	32.99
Ozurgeti	59.12	62.26	15.33	12.15	3.44	4.09	2.73	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	46.93
Lanchkhuti	65.06	52.18	17.03	14.23	4.92	3.35	8.29	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	35.15
Chokhatauri	70.33	66.42	14.87	9.71	2.32	4.85	1.83	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	51.55
Abasha	64.41	62.18	18.51	7.72	4.71	2.97	3.91	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	43.67
Senaki	52.87	67.15	12.93	8.99	5.57	2.07	3.29	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	54.22
Martvili	53.99	68.26	14.57	10.16	2.96	2.30	1.75	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	53.69
Khobi	58.38	60.36	19.05	13.20	4.01	0.78	2.60	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	41.31
Zugdidi	39.82	67.11	12.00	8.09	3.20	3.58	6.02	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	55.11
Tsalenjikha	44.66	68.33	11.25	8.32	3.91	2.87	5.32	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	57.08
Chkhorotsqu	58.90	63.11	15.69	11.44	5.28	0.82	3.66	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	47.42
Poti	55.92	55.28	22.16	11.40	5.93	2.36	2.87	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	33.12
Batumi	45.54	51.29	17.17	14.74	6.26	8.07	2.47	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	34.12
Keda	67.38	57.95	20.58	7.30	6.14	5.90	2.13	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	37.37
Kobuleti	50.20	66.24	9.68	15.42	3.69	3.29	1.68	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	50.82
Shuakhevi	67.96	66.67	13.45	8.15	3.53	3.26	4.94	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	53.22
Khelvachauri	49.55	60.74	10.34	12.08	6.14	8.75	1.95	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	48.66
Khulo	64.97	69.49	15.75	6.27	2.30	2.78	3.41	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	53.74
Liakhvi*	78.43	86.58	6.00	1.88	2.03	2.34	1.17	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	80.58
Upper Abkhazia	58.75	84.90	2.04	7.07	0.82	1.09	4.08	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	77.83
Abroad	4.75	81.80	5.33	3.08	1.86	4.20	3.73	United National Movement}}; color:white;"	76.47
Source: [Electoral Geography](https://www.electoralgeography.com/new/en/countries/g/georgia/georgia-legislative-election-2008.html) [CEC](https://cesko.ge/static/res/old/other/0/588.pdf)

Municipalities of Kurta and Eredvi

Aftermath

The United Opposition and the Labour Party announced they would boycott parliament, which held its inaugural session on June 7, 2008, while the Christian Democrats refused to join them.

2008 District Nº2 by-election

3 November 2008.

2008 District Nº8 by-election

3 November 2008.

2011 District Nº17 by-election

2 October 2011.

Notes

References

(6 May 2008). "გაერთიანებული ოპოზიცია". Civil Georgia.
(26 April 2008). "ცხრა ოპოზიციური პარტიის ბლოკის საარჩევნო სია". Civil Georgia.
(April 2019)
[https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7085097.stm Georgia to hold early elections] BBC News, 8 November 2007
(2008-01-06). "Saakashvili wins Georgia's presidential election - People's Daily Online". English.people.com.cn.
[http://www.cec.gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=ENG&sec_id=334&info_id=4287 Total Number of voters], Central Election Commission, Georgia. Accessed on May 10, 2008.
[http://www.cec.gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=ENG&sec_id=334&info_id=4376 The List of International Non-Governmental Organizations registered at the Central Election Commission of Georgia for May 21, 2008 Parliamentary Elections], Central Election Commission, Georgia. Accessed on May 10, 2008.
[http://www.cec.gov.ge/index.php?lang_id=ENG&sec_id=334&info_id=4375 The List of local Non-Governmental Organizations registered at the Central Election Commission of Georgia for May 21, 2008 Parliamentary Elections], Central Election Commission, Georgia. Accessed on May 10, 2008.
[http://assembly.coe.int/ASP/APFeaturesManager/defaultArtSiteView.asp?ID=764 Honouring of obligations and commitments by Georgia. Information ''note by the co-rapporteurs on their fact-finding visit to Tbilisi (26-27 March 2008)''.] [[Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe]], April 9, 2008.
[http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=17238 New Opposition Configuration Emerges Ahead of Polls.] Civil Georgia, February 29, 2008.
[http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=17549 Three Blocs, Nine Parties Run in Parliamentary Polls.] Civil Georgia, April 8, 2008.
[http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2008/04/3C725DF3-1EF4-4F38-AF58-9106ED0289EF.html Georgia: In Surprise Move, Burjanadze Says She Won't Seek Reelection]. [[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]], April 22, 2008.
(2008-04-24). "Party Lists". Civil Georgia.
(2008-04-08). "Nine-Party Opposition Bloc". Civil Georgia.
[http://www.cec.gov.ge/files/334_4485_867989_UARI_GAMOQVEKNEBA_1.doc List of the Parties which have been refused for the registration to participate in the upcoming Parliamentary Elections May 21, 2008.] Central Election Commission, Georgia. Accessed on May 10, 2008.
link. (2008-05-09 , Greenberg Quinlan Rosner. May 5, 2008.)
(May 23, 2008). "Concerns raised over Georgia poll". BBC News.
"News - World - Georgian leader set for poll win". B92.
"Georgien: Opposition ruft zu Protesten auf «". Diepresse.com.
Werdigier, Julia. "Opposition bloc to boycott Georgia's parliament to protest governing party's big election win". International Herald Tribune.

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