Georgian local elections, 2006

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Georgia
This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Georgia

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Local elections were held in Georgia on October 5, 2006. The elections follow a decree issued on August 26 by President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili, setting the date for the local ballot.

This vote is considered to be the first major test of the authorities commitment to a transparent process in non-revolutionary circumstances. In addition they will demonstrate the level of public confidence in both the NMD - after a series of scandals - and the opposition, which has begun to strengthen and reorganise in the past year.

The elections coincided with an extremely tense period of relations with Russia. After a major diplomatic row regarding alleged Russian spying, the Kremlin has severed all transport and post links with Georgia.

Elections were boycotted by some opposition parties, particularly by New Rights Party because of President Saakashvili referred to an unprecedented manipulation with fix a date of elections, thus ridding the opposition parties of the time to prepare and launch their election campaigns; United National Movement (ruling party) has been conducting its active election campaign since Spring 2006 without any restraints or control; the government agencies exerted pressure on the personnel working in the budgetary sector on a regular basis in order to the able control their choice on the Election Day.

According to preliminary results, the elections were won by the United National Movement led by President Saakashvili with an overwhelming majority. The predominantly Armenian-populated city of Akhalkalaki was the only municipality where an opposition grouping, the Industry Will Save Georgia Party, won a majority of votes. According to international observers, particularly the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, the "municipal elections in Georgia were conducted with general respect for fundamental freedoms; however, the blurred distinction between the ruling authorities and the leading party reinforced the advantage of the incumbents".^[1]