Although President Saakashvili and his ruling National Movement party have lost significant portion of electorate, both remain unchallenged candidates in case of presidential and parliamentary elections, the Tbilisi-based Georgian Opinion Research Business International (GORBI) said in its annual public opinion survey on December 22.
According to the GORBI, Mikheil Saakashvili will garner 60% of votes in case of the presidential elections, which is 23% less as compared to the average figures for 2004.
Saakashvili is followed by Koba Davitashvili, the leader of opposition Conservative Party – 5%; ex-Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili – 4%; Shalva Natelashvili, the leader of opposition Labor Party – 4%; Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze – 3%; MP Davit Gamkrelidze, the leader of opposition New Rights Party. Georgia’s ex-security chief Igor Giorgadze, who is currently wanted for a failed terrorist attack against ex-President Shevardnadze, also could garner 1% support, according to the GORBI survey. 15% of citizens interviewed by GORBI voted against all candidates.
Although the National Movement party has lost 23% of its electorate this year as compared with the average figure for 2004, the ruling party still enjoys with 48% of support, according to the survey.
The National Movement is followed by the opposition Conservative Party – 6%; opposition Labor Party – 5%; opposition Republican Party – 4%; opposition New Rights Party – 3%; Salome Zourabichvili’s Movement – 1%. 26% voted against all parties.
GORBI, which is the Georgian member of Gallup International, carried out nationally-representative survey of 1000 respondents during the first week of December, 2005.