On October 31, the citizens of Georgia will vote for 150-member parliament through a significantly modified mixed electoral system with 120 deputies elected through proportional-party lists and 30 lawmakers elected as majoritarians from single-mandate constituencies. Following months-long protests in summer 2019, and lengthy foreign mediated negotiations between the ruling Georgian Dream and opposition parties, the Georgian Parliament increased sought-after proportional representation from 77 to 120 and shrank majoritarian seats, which typically favored ruling parties, from 73 to 30.
Civil.ge’s Eana Korbezashvili wandered through the streets of Tbilisi, the Georgian capital, to capture electoral campaign moments ahead of the crucial vote.
Posters of Free Georgia party led by Kakha Kukava, conservative-turned-leftist-populistElection posters in Varketili neighborhood in Tbilisi. Photo: Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.geFor nearly two decades now the United National Movement, former ruling party, runs with the election number of 5. Photo: Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.geFor nearly two decades now the United National Movement, former ruling party, runs with the election number of 5. Photo: Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.gePhoto: Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.geElection banners of Kremlin-friendly ex-Speaker Nino Burjanadze of United Georgia – Democratic Movement (left); Sozar Subari, ruling Georgian Dream party’s majoritarian candidate in Samgori district (middle; Levan Khabeishvili, UNM’s majoritarian candidate in Samgori, endorsed by the major opposition candidates (right). Varketili, Tbilisi. Photo: Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.geVarketili Metro station, Tbilisi. The banners of Sozar Subari (left) and banker-turned-politician Mamuka Khazaradze of Lelo for Georgia party (right); Photo: Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.geElection posters of Zurab Girchi Japaridze of the right-libertarian Girchi party, who runs for Didube-Chughureti majoritarian seat. Japaridze is a joint candidate for multiple major opposition parties. Photo: Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.geAkaki Tsereteli Avenue, the main thoroughfare of Didube district. Photo: Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.geTsereteli Avenue, Didube district. Photo: Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.geScrap metal – reads the ad above election posters in Didube district. Photo: Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.geThe banner of GD’s Gia Volski in Tbilisi Metro. Photo: Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.gePhoto: Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.gePhoto: Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.geThe ruling Georgian Dream party’s election banner near the Station Square, Tbilisi. Photo: Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.geThe banner of the Kremlin-friendly Alliance of Patriots party. The Station Square area, Tbilisi. Photo: Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.geElection banner of Alexander (Aleko) Elisashvili / the Citizens party on Tsinamdzgvrishvili street featuring Levan Ioseliani (left) and Elisahvili himself (right). The party has recently launched “Aleko’s listening to you” campaign, offering citizens to phone call the party leaders.Environs of Tbilisi’s largest Dezerteer bazaar. Photo: Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.geThe Kremlin-friendly Alliance of Patriots banner near the Dezerteer bazaar. Photo: Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.geLabor leader Shalva Natelashvili’s posters on a lamppost, with an ad of Social-Democratic party on a bus. Varketili, Tbilisi. Photo: Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.gePhoto: Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.geThe posters of labor leader Shalva Natelashvili. Photo: Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.geYet another poster of the Alliance of Patriots party near the central Dezerter Bazaar. Photo: Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.geBanner of Vice-Speaker Gia Volski, ruling GD party’s majoritarian candidate in Didube-Chughureti district near the National Stadium. Photo: Eana Korbezashvili / Civil.ge
