Georgia confirms ruling party won disputed election after recount despite fraud allegations

Officials in Georgia said on Thursday that a partial recount confirmed the ruling party had won its disputed election, with Washington and Brussels demanding an investigation.

The pro-Western opposition said Saturday’s parliamentary vote was “stolen” by the ruling Georgian Dream party and refused to recognise the results, plunging the Caucasus country into uncertainty.

Pro-European President Salome Zurabishvili – at loggerheads with the governing party – has declared the election results “illegitimate”, alleging there was a “Russian special operation” to undermine the vote.

The Kremlin has denied interference.

The central election commission said that a recount at some 12 per cent of polling stations, involving 14 per cent of the vote, “didn’t lead to a significant change to previously announced official results”.

“Final tallies only slightly changed at some nine per cent of recounted polling stations,” a spokeswoman said.