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 4, 2025
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 Gharibashvili Votes
Former Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili 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.
Gharibashvili 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 10:00
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.