Live Updates: Local Elections and Protest
Georgia’s October 4 local elections take place across Georgia amid a partial opposition boycott, scant credible observation, continued repression by Georgian Dream authorities, jailings of protesters and opposition members, and a crackdown on independent media and watchdogs. The vote comes approximately a year after the disputed parliamentary elections, and just 10 months into the non-stop protests that erupted in response to Georgian Dream’s announcement to halt EU integration. A parallel mass rally has been scheduled at 4 pm at the parliament in Tbilisi with the stated aim of “peacefully overthrowing” the Georgian Dream government.
Below, we offer live updates as things unfold on one of Georgia’s most tensely anticipated days in recent months. All entries are in Tbilisi time.
For Context:
- Backgrounder: Georgia’s October 4 Half-Elections
- Georgia Anticipates October 4 Rally Amid Rising Tensions, Discontent
- Repression in Numbers
October 5, 2025
16:50 – CEC Results: GD Claims Sweeping Victory in All Municipalities
According to preliminary official results from the Central Election Commission, with all 3,061 precincts counted nationwide, Georgian Dream has secured a sweeping victory in both proportional and mayoral races across all 64 municipalities in the October 4 local elections, which were held under a partial opposition boycott and with limited independent observation.
Preliminary results show Georgian Dream winning municipalities with more than 70% of the vote, with its share exceeding 80% and 90% in many constituencies, while the GD’s mayoral candidates ran unchallenged in nearly half of the municipalities. Nationwide, support for the ruling party stood at 81.68%. Read the detailed results here.
16:00 – MIA Hints More Arrests, Warns to Treat Upcoming Rallies as ‘Continuation’
Georgia’s Interior Ministry hinted at more arrests in connection with the October 4 unrest in Tbilisi, warning to treat upcoming rallies as a “continuation” of “yesterday’s attempt” and fueling concerns that authorities may use the unrest as a pretext to target peaceful protests. Read More.
11:00 – Kobakhidze hails Georgian Dream’s results
Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze held a briefing saying the ruling party had received more than 1.1 million votes nationwide, which he said “practically repeats our result in last year’s parliamentary elections.” He added that in Tbilisi, the party achieved a record showing. Kobakhidze described as “impressive” that Georgian Dream received more than 70 percent of the vote in all municipalities across the country, saying, “The plan to replace the UNM with Lelo and Gakharia has failed.”
Comparing the opposition’s performance with previous elections, Kobakhidze noted that in last year’s vote Lelo received more than 180,000 votes, but now only about half that, while ex-Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia’s For Georgia party dropped from over 160,000 votes to around 50,000.
“Everything will be done to finally neutralize the anti-state political force called the collective UNM,” Kobakhidze said, adding that “yesterday’s elections were another step taken in this direction.”
Commenting on the election-day unrest in Tbilisi, he said, “We have a legal responsibility toward more than 1.1 million voters to finally get rid of this disease called the collective UNM in our country.”
02:30 – Police Arrest October 4 Rally Organizers After Election-Day Unrest
Police have arrested the October 4 rally organizers. The detainees include opera singer Paata Burchuladze, as well as opposition United National Movement party members Irakli Nadiradze and Murtaz Zodelava, Strategy Agmashenebeli party member Paata Manjgaladze, and retired colonel Lasha Beridze. All of them were members of a group organizing the election-day rally with the stated aim of “peacefully overthrowing” the Georgian Dream government. They were detained on charges of calling for the violent overthrow of state authorities and attempting to change the constitutional order through violence, as well as organizing, leading, and participating in group violence. If convicted, they face up to nine years in prison. Read more.
00:40 – Lelo Thanks Voters, Alleges Fraud
Following the CEC’s announcement of preliminary results of the local elections, the opposition Lelo/Strong Georgia alliance thanked its voters and spoke about the “hardest” voting process. “Today we witnessed the facts of systemic fraud – ‘caroussel,’ vote buying that influences voters’ will through threats,” the party said. Per the official preliminary results of the proportional vote, Lelo came second with 6.78% of the votes, while the ruling Georgian Dream party secured 80.78%. See the preliminary results here.
00:30 – Health Ministry: 6 Protesters, 21 Police Officers Hospitalized
Six protesters and 21 police officers were hospitalized following clashes that erupted during the election-day rally, the Health Ministry said, noting that one of the injured police officers is in serious condition.
October 4, 2025
22:00 – Kobakhidze: Nobody will evade responsibility
At the briefing, PM Kobakhidze said that the parties and politicians who have distanced themselves from violence are still responsible since “they announced the overthrow of government” and “started to overthrow it, but when they failed, then they started to distance themselves.” He said, “Nobody will evade responsibility, among other things, also political responsibility. As for participating in violence, the situation of these people is dire. All who participated in violence partook in the attempted coup. Therefore, these people should expect surprises in the coming days.”
21:40 – Kobakhidze Accuses EU Envoys of Supporting Election-Day Protests
Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said that “specific people from abroad” had expressed open support for the election-day unrest in Tbilisi. He claimed that among them was an EU spokesperson who had “supported the attempt to overthrow the constitutional order.”
“Against this background, special responsibility also lies with the EU ambassador to Georgia,” Kobakhidze said, adding that the diplomat should publicly “distance himself from and strictly condemn everything that is happening in the streets of Tbilisi.”
“This is his direct responsibility, given that we have heard their statement supportive of overthrowing the constitutional order,” he added. “Let’s see what their reaction will be.”
21:40 – CEC publishes preliminary results
The Central Election Commission (CEC) released preliminary results of the October 4 municipal elections, according to which the Georgian Dream party leads with 80.7% of the vote nationwide, compared to a combined 19.3% received by opposition parties. GD’s Kakha Kaladze, who ran in Tbilisi mayoral race, received 71.55% of the votes.
21:35 – MIA Launches Criminal Probe into Election-Day Unrest
The Interior Ministry has launched an investigation into the election-day unrest under multiple criminal articles, including incitement to overthrow the government and participation in group violence. Read the details here.
21:30 – Visuals from Atoneli street
Photos: Nini Gabritchidze/Civil.ge
21:25 – Kaladze qualified Atoneli street tensions at coup attempt
At a briefing, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze of the ruling Georgian Dream party described the events on Atoneli Street as a “direct coup attempt,” pledging an “appropriate response” and vowing to hold those responsible accountable.
21:05 – Maia Sandu Voices Support for Georgia
“My thoughts are with the people of Georgia, who stand for freedom and their European future,” Moldova’s President Maia Sandu wrote on X. “Democracy cannot be silenced. Moldova is by your side.”
21:00 – Irakli Kobakhidze holds briefing
As the Central Election Commission is yet to announce the official results, Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze held a briefing, saying the ruling party had surpassed 70 percent in all municipalities across Georgia. He added that voter turnout exceeded 1,430,000, which he described as “very high” for local elections.
Commenting on the ongoing tensions around Liberty Square, Kobakhidze said, “We warned these people about strict responses,” adding, “What we have seen, for example, on Atoneli street, is a criminal offense. Every person who was involved in this violent act will be held accountable.”
“I assumed that, against the backdrop of this violence, we would have to arrest far more than 30 shameless perpetrators.”
20:26 – GD claims landslide victory
“Georgian Dream” won the elections in all municipalities in the first round, the ruling party posted on Facebook, adding, “We started on the 4th and finished on the 4th,” – an apparent jab at the planned “revolution,” which its organizers had vowed would start and finish the government’s overthrow in a single day.
20:11 – Protesters head to the GD HQ
Rally participants march from Rustaveli Avenue toward the Georgian Dream office, where party representatives, including Honorary Chair Bidzina Ivanishvili, are present.
20:10 – Protesters have set fire to barricades near Liberty Square
Protesters have set fire to barricades near Liberty Square as riot police deploy in large numbers to the area.
20:03 – GD celebrates ‘victory,’ as tensions flare
At the party headquarters, Georgian Dream leaders celebrated an exit poll showing Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze winning with 76.3 percent of the vote. Meanwhile, tensions flared at Liberty Square, where riot police moved in to disperse protesters. Read more here.
20:00 – Gorbi’s exit polls show Kaladze’s win with 77.4%
Pro-ruling party TV Imedi has published “Gorbi” exit polls showing the following results:
Tbilisi:
- (41) Georgian Dream – 76.3%
- (9) Lelo-Strong Georgia – 7.1%
- (36) Girchi – 6.8%
- Conservatives For Georgia – 3.3%
- Others – 6.5%
Tbilisi Candidates:
- (41) Kakha Kaladze – Georgian Dream – 77.4%
- (9) Irakli Kupradze – Lelo-Strong Georgia – 8.8%
- (36) Iago Khvichia – Girchi – 6.7%
- Zurab Makharadze – Conservatives For Georgia – 3.2%
- Others – 3.9%
Meanwhile, Georgian Dream leaders, including Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze and Georgian Dream Honorary Chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili, have gathered at the party headquarters for celebrations.
19:34 – Riot police use water cannon, tear gas against protesters on Atoneli Street
Riot police have used water cannon and tear gas on Atoneli Street near the presidential palace. A warning siren is sounding, urging protesters to disperse.
19:32 – More riot police head to the presidential palace
Additional riot police are moving from Rustaveli Avenue to Atoneli Street near the presidential palace.
19: 25 – Interior Ministry says rally breached rules
Interior Ministry stated, “The ongoing rally has violated the regulations outlined in the Law on Assembly and Manifestation. The organizers made calls inciting violence. Organizers damaged the security bars on the Presidential Palace building on Atoneli Street and attempted to force their way inside.”
“The Ministry of Internal Affairs is once again urging all protesters to comply with lawful police orders, to avoid artificially escalating the situation. Failure to do so will result in law enforcement taking appropriate action as authorized by law.”
19:22 – Salome Zurabishvili’s post
Georgia’s Fifth President, Salome Zurabishvili, wrote on X: “This mockery of taking over the presidential palace can only be staged by the regime to discredit the 310 days peaceful protest of the Georgian people. As the legitimate President I formally reject this and continue standing with my people peacefully until we win new elections.”
19:07 – BREAKING: Rally Leader Moves to Occupy Presidential Palace
BREAKING: Murtaz Zodelava, a UNM member, told tens of thousands of demonstrators on Liberty Square that the group will reclaim the presidential palace as the next step after rally organizers declared that state power had “reverted to the people.”
In a dramatic escalation of the events, citizens are attempting to storm the presidential palace after Murtaz Zodelava of the United National Movement called on the rally to mobilize the “male force” to reclaim the institution. Riot police quickly came out of the building, and pepper spray was used.
18:20 – Tens of thousands gather on Liberty Square
Tens of thousands of people have gathered on Liberty Square. The crowd is waiting for the main announcement, expected to be made by Paata Burchuladze, an opera singer, one of the organizers and a central figure in the rally, which has a stated aim of “peacefully overthrowing” the Georgian Dream government. Photos by Nini Gabritchidze/Civil.ge
17:55 – CEC: Voter turnout 33.46% at 17:00
1,175,817 citizens, 33.46% of the total number of voters, have cast their ballots in the municipal elections by 17:00, three hours before the polls close, according to the Central Election Commission (CEC). The vote is proceeding with scant credible observation, and the boycott of part of the mainstream opposition. In the 2021 local elections, the nationwide turnout at 17:00 was 41.35%, while in the 2017 local elections, it stood at 36.71%. Read more details here.
17:15 – Large Crowds Gather on Rustaveli Avenue
Tbilisi’s Rustaveli Avenue gets crowded as groups of protesters unite at parliament for the election-day “peaceful revolution” rally.
16:20 – Emigrants join student march toward Parliament
Georgian emigrants, who were gathered near the Tbilisi Concert Hall, have joined students who began marching from Tbilisi State University. They are all heading toward Parliament, where a separate crowd is already gathering.
At the same time, Georgian emigrants abroad have planned various rallies in European and American cities.
16:00 – Students, protesters march from TSU toward Parliament
Students and protesters have begun marching from the first building of Tbilisi State University in the Vake district, heading toward Parliament, where a crowd is already gathering.
15:50 – CEC: Voter turnout 28.22% at 15:00
991,651 citizens, 28.22% of the total number of voters, have cast their ballots in the municipal elections by 15:00, five hours before the polls close, according to the Central Election Commission (CEC). The vote is proceeding with scant credible observation, and the boycott of part of the mainstream opposition. For comparison, in the 2021 local elections, the nationwide turnout at 15:00 was 33.18%, while in the 2017 local elections, it stood at 29.84%. Read more details here.
14:30 – Opposition parties report alleged electoral violations
Opposition parties Lelo/Strong Georgia and its electoral ally, For Georgia, report alleged violations at polling stations as voting proceeds amid scant credible observation.
Lelo’s Tazo Datunashvili cited instances of vote-buying, so-called carousel voting, and obstruction by precinct commission members who, he said, prevented the party from installing surveillance cameras. He also noted what he described as a “trend” of double ballot issuance, where voters allegedly received two ballots instead of one. Datunashvili further reported damage to electronic registration devices at polling stations in the regions.
For Georgia’s Giorgi Sharashidze voiced similar concerns, reporting cases of double ballot issuance as well as pressure and intimidation near polling stations, where he said ruling party representatives were present, checking voter lists and marking who arrived. He also alleged breaches of ballot secrecy.
14:18 – Patriarch Ilia II votes
The Georgian Patriarchate has shared pictures on social media of Patriarch Ilia II casting his ballot at his residence through a mobile ballot box.
14:16 – Analyst notes higher turnout in GD-only municipalities
Election analyst Tengo Tevzadze, a member of the opposition Ahali party, which is boycotting the local elections, has observed that turnout in municipalities where the ruling party is running uncontested is higher than it was in the 2021 municipal elections. GD candidates have no rivals in nearly half of the municipalities after the opposition failed to nominate anyone.
Planned protests and marches
Several protest marches are planned for today, including a bikers’ march at 4 p.m. from Tbilisi Mall, at the city’s entrance, across the capital; a students’ march at 3 p.m. from Tbilisi State University to Parliament; and an emigrants’ march setting off around the same time from the Tbilisi Concert Hall to Parliament.
The main gathering, framed by organizers as the “National Assembly,” is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. at Liberty Square, near the Parliament building. The stage is being set up now.
13:20 – Former PM Garibashvili Votes
Former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili cast his ballot at the polling station in Tbilisi’s Vake district, where he arrived with his wife, Nunuka Tamazashvili. He declined to comment to journalists.
Garibashvili had been absent from public view for several months after quitting the ruling party and politics altogether in April. There have been speculations that he could be the next target of Georgian Dream amid corruption-related arrests of former party members.
12:38 – CEC: Voter turnout 17.15% at 12:00
602,445 citizens, 17,15% of the total number of eligible voters, have cast their ballots in the municipal elections by 12:00, four hours after the polling stations were opened, according to the CEC. The highest voter turnout was recorded in the Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti region (30.76%), the lowest in Tbilisi (12.93%). Read more details here.
12:15 – Mikheil Kavelashvili votes
Georgian Dream-elected President Mikheil Kavelashvili cast his vote.
“I fulfilled my civic duty,” Kavelashvili told reporters after voting. “I’ll be honest with the public – making my choice was definitely easier for me. We know that on one side, there is peace, development, and stability. Unfortunately, on the other side, there is disorder, confrontation, and polarization. I am confident that our society will not have difficulty making its choice.”
12:00 – Mamuka Khazaradze votes
Mamuka Khazaradze, leader of Lelo, cast his ballot and called on citizens to go to the polls and “not gift their vote to the force that has distanced the country, isolated it, separated it from its free choice – from our European choice – and plunged the country into a serious crisis.”
11:55 – Stage for ‘National Assembly’ being set up at Liberty Square
A stage is being set up at Liberty Square in downtown Tbilisi, near the Parliament, for a planned gathering whose organizers say aims at the “peaceful overthrow” of Georgian Dream rule.
Paata Burchuladze, one of the leaders of the Rustaveli Avenue activist group organising the event, told Formula TV: “This is a national assembly, not a protest rally. At the national assembly, we will adopt a declaration that has already been written. We will vote for Georgia’s independence, for Georgia’s freedom, and – because we have no legitimate government – we are taking power into our own hands. From that moment, we, not Bidzina Ivanishvili, will be the sole masters of this country.”
The gathering is planned for 4 pm. GD Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze yesterday warned of “the harshest response” to any unlawful act. Read the background here.
11:50 – Irakli Kupradze, Lelo–For Georgia’s Tbilisi mayoral candidate, votes
Irakli Kupradze, the joint Tbilisi mayoral candidate from Lelo–Strong Georgia and Gakharia For Georgia, cast his vote and called on citizens to go to the polls.
“If you want to leave the past behind, if you want to free the capital from corruption and injustice, if you want this city and country to be without political prisoners, without corruption, injustice, lawlessness, and incompetence,” Kupradze said with reporters after voting, “then you must go to your polling stations and vote for Georgia’s future.”
11:35 – Riot police spotted near Liberty Square
Opposition TV channel Pirveli reported riot police units moving around Tbilisi’s Liberty Square, near the Parliament. According to TV Pirveli, the officers have also been mobilized inside the Tbilisi City Council (Sakrebulo) building. Riot police are reportedly stationed near the Parliament and the Government Administration as well.
11:05 – Lelo’s Badri Japaridze votes
Badri Japaridze, one of the leaders of the Lelo-Strong Georgia opposition coalition, has cast his ballot.
“Of course, I voted for the Georgian people to regain control over their city’s governance in Tbilisi – and this must happen everywhere, for we must be active. Without activity, determination, and perseverance, change will not come,” Japaridze told reporters after voting. “That’s why I want to call on everyone to use their most effective weapon – their vote – so that we can achieve the goal of the Georgian people: to take back their country.”
11:03 – MIA warns rally organizers and participants
The Interior Ministry said police units had been mobilized across the capital to “protect public safety and order,” warning: “We call on the rally organizers and participants to hold their assembly within the framework of Georgian legislation, obey lawful police orders, and not obstruct officers in carrying out their professional duties.”
“Every violation of the law will be met with an appropriate legal response,” the ministry added.
10:45 – Irakli Kobakhidze votes
Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze cast his ballot in Vake, central Tbilisi.
“It is obvious to everyone what and who I voted for,” Kobakhidze told reporters after voting. “Of course, I voted for peace, for more prosperity, for further development of our country and our capital, and for the only party that has maintained peace in our country and ensured progress and development throughout all these years.”
“I voted for the only mayoral candidate who can bring more prosperity to our capital, and for a very dignified majoritarian candidate in the Vake district,” he added.
10:30 – CEC: Voter turnout 7.85% at 10:00
275,948 citizens, 7.85% of the total number of eligible voters, have cast their ballots by 10:00, two hours after the polling stations were opened, according to the Central Election Commission (CEC). The highest turnout (13.4%) was recorded in Racha-Lechkhumi, the lowest (7.64%) in Kvemo Kartli. Read more details here.
10:01 – Shalva Papuashvili votes
Georgian Dream Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili has cast his ballot in Tbilisi.
“Today is the day of democratic elections, and every citizen has a civic duty to make their own choice,” Papuashvili told reporters after voting. “Today is an opportunity for our citizens in every municipality, every city, and every village to elect their own representatives.”
09:40 – Kakha Kaladze votes
The incumbent Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze, who is seeking a third term for the ruling Georgian Dream party, cast his ballot.
“The only force that can actually maintain peace in the country today is Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia,” Kaladze told reporters outside a polling station in Saburtalo. “The only force that can continue the city’s development is Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia,” he added.
Like Ivanishvili, Kaladze also left without responding to questions from journalists.
09:05 – Ivanishvili votes in Tbilisi with family
Georgian Dream founder and honorary chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili cast his ballot at a polling station in downtown Tbilisi, accompanied by his wife, Ekaterine Khvedelidze, and son, Tsotne.
“Today is another important day in our country’s recent history,” Ivanishvili told reporters after voting, calling the election “significant” and “very interesting.” He said the “greatest achievement” of Georgian Dream’s 13 years in power was that both the party and society had developed “critical thinking” and learned to distinguish “white from black.” “No matter what kind of statements are made today by our opponents, if they are not objective, they will not trigger a reaction from the public,” he added.
Ivanishvili left without taking questions.
08:00 – Polls open in 3,061 precincts across Georgia
Polls have opened across Georgia for the municipal vote. 3,513,818 Georgian citizens are eligible to vote in 3,061 polling stations, according to the Central Election Commission. Among them, 47,000 are first-time voters. Voting will be conducted electronically in 2,284 out of all 3,061 polling stations, covering 3,130,348 voters. The voters in the remaining 777 precincts will be casting their ballots in the traditional procedure, including 10 in the penitentiary facilities. (Read more here)
12:31 – Patriarchate: Church backs peace, distances from radical calls
The Georgian Patriarchate stated hours before the opening of polls that the “Georgian Orthodox Church, as a unifying force for the nation, cannot be portrayed as a political actor.”
It added that the Church “has always been and will continue to be the supporter of peace and Christian values, and distances itself from radical calls and actions that could fuel confrontation.”
Elections are held so people can express their will,” the statement said, after dismissing as “wrong” attempts to involve clergy in election-related tensions.