Georgia’s ruling party leads crucial election race which could decide the country's role in Europe

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — Georgia's ruling party is leading the official results of Saturday's parliamentary election after a crucial vote which could decide whether the country pivots to embrace the West or falls back into Russia's orbit.

Many Georgians viewed the vote as a make-or-break referendum on the opportunity to join the European Union. Initial figures suggest turnout is the highest since the ruling Georgian Dream party was first elected in 2012.

Georgia’s Central Election Commission said Georgian Dream won 52.99% of the vote with the majority of the vote counted. Not all paper ballots and votes cast by Georgians abroad have been counted, and it is unclear when a final result could be announced.

Georgian Dream stood against four main opposition groups which also claimed victory when competing exit polls were released shortly after polls closed at 8 p.m. local time (1600 GMT).

If Georgian Dream's win is confirmed, the party will have a parliamentary majority which will stoke fears about the country's bid for EU membership. The party has become increasingly authoritarian, adopting laws which are similar to those used by Russia to crack down on freedom of speech. After one such law was passed earlier this year, Brussels suspended Georgia's EU membership process.

Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of Georgian Dream, claimed victory almost immediately after polls closed and said, “It is rare in the world for the same party to achieve such success in such a difficult situation.”

The pre-election campaign in the South Caucasus nation of 3.7 million people, which borders Russia, was dominated by foreign policy and marked by a bitter fight for votes and allegations of a smear campaign.

Some Georgians complained of intimidation and being pressured to vote for Georgian Dream, while the opposition accused the party of carrying out a "hybrid war" against its citizens.

The biggest opposition party, United National Movement, said its headquarters came under attack on polling day. Georgian media also reported two people were hospitalized after being attacked outside polling stations, one in the western city of Zugdidi, the other in Marneuli, a town south of the capital, Tbilisi.

There were also reports of multiple voting irregularities.

One video shared on social media Saturday also showed a man stuffing ballots into a box at a polling station in Marneuli. Georgia’s Interior Ministry said it launched an investigation and the Central Election Commission said a criminal case had been opened and that all results from the polling station would be declared invalid.

Georgian Dream says it will ban opposition parties

Ahead of the parliamentary election Ivanishvili — the shadowy billionaire who set up Georgian Dream and made his fortune in Russia — vowed again to ban opposition parties should his party win.

Georgian Dream will hold opposition parties “fully accountable under the full force of the law” for “war crimes” committed against the people of Georgia, Ivanishvili said at a pro-government rally in Tbilisi, Wednesday. He did not explain what crimes he believes the opposition has committed.

Many believed the election was the most crucial vote since Georgia gained independence following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili described it as an “existential election.”

Georgians want “European integration, want to move forward and want policies which will bring us a better, more stable, future,” Qristine Tordia, 29, told The Associated Press shortly after voting in Tbilisi.

Around 80% of Georgians favor joining the EU, according to polls, and the country’s constitution obliges its leaders to pursue membership in that bloc and NATO.

But Brussels put Georgia's bid for entry to the EU on hold indefinitely after the ruling party passed a "Russian law" cracking down on freedom of speech in June. Many Georgians fear Georgian Dream is dragging the country toward authoritarianism and killing off hopes it could join the EU.

The election is "not just about changing government, it is about whether Georgia survives or not because Ivanishvili’s government means Russia,” said Nika Gvaramia, leader of Coalition for Changes, an opposition group before polls closed.

Ivanishvili voted Saturday morning under heavy security. He did not respond when asked by the AP if he wanted to form an alliance with Russia.

He said the election is a choice between a “government that will serve you,” or “choosing agents of a foreign country which will fulfill the requests of the foreign country only." Ivanishvili did not indicate which country he was referring to but ahead of the election he and his officials claimed a “Global War Party” was seeking to influence the EU and the U.S., widen the conflict in Ukraine, and force Georgian Dream from power.

Opposition backs plan for reforms required by the EU

The opposition parties ignored Zourabichvili’s request to unite into a single party but signed up to her “charter” to carry out the reforms required by the EU to join.

The governing and opposition parties told voters they would pursue EU membership even though laws passed by Georgian Dream have put that hope on hold.

At the EU summit last week, EU leaders said they have “serious concerns regarding the course of action taken by the Georgian government."

Georgian Dream stood against three coalitions: the Unity National Movement, the Coalition for Changes Lelo, and Strong Georgia.

The Gakharia for Georgia party, set up by former prime minister Giorgi Gakharia, said it will not go into an alliance with anyone but will support the opposition to form a government if they win enough votes.

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Associated Press producer Sophiko Megrelidze contributed to this report