Draft:2002 Georgian local elections

The culmination of the local elections in Tbilisi, held on June 2nd, was marked by the unveiling of the final results by the Central Election Commission. Surpassing prognostications, no singular political entity clinched an absolute majority in the Tbilisi City Council.

Following meticulous vote tallies across 394 electoral precincts within Tbilisi, the Labor Party emerged as the frontrunner, securing the lion's share of seats within the city council. The distribution of seats unfolded as such:

Labor Party of Georgia - 25.5% - 16 seats Electoral bloc "National Movement - Democratic Front" - 23.75% - 15 seats New Rightists – 11.36% – 6 seats Christian-Conservative Party of Georgia - 7.27% - 4 seats Electoral bloc "Industry will save Georgia" - 7.13% - 4 seats Electoral bloc "Revival XXI" - 6.34% - 3 seats Bloc "Ertoba" - 4.13% - 2 seats

Despite the clarity of the final standings, the precise configuration of the Tbilisi City Council remains shrouded in uncertainty. While six prominent parliamentarians have secured seats within the City Council, only Levan Gachechiladze, the leader of the New Right, has signaled his intention to transition, having already vacated his parliamentary post.

Among the remaining parliamentarians — including Mikheil Saakashvili of the National Movement, Gogi Topadze of Industry will Save Georgia, Eldar Shengelaia (Vice Speaker of the Parliament), Giorgi Baramidze, and Elene Tevdoradze of the Christian-Conservative Party within Zhvania's team — the decision to retain their parliamentary seats or assume roles within the Sakrebulo remains undisclosed.

Notably, four of these six parliamentarians align with the "reformers" faction, suggesting reluctance to relinquish their positions to the Sakrebulo. This stance is reinforced by the potential formation of a coalition between Saakashvili's National Movement and Zhvania's team, yielding a mere 19 seats — insufficient for an absolute majority. Furthermore, Giorgi Baramidze has ascended to chairmanship of the newly established parliamentary faction, "Democrats," further complicating the dynamics. Both Eldar Shengelaia and Elene Tevdoradze are counted among its members.

Consequently, it appears that Levan Gachechiladze will stand as the solitary "familiar" figure within the Sakrebulo, with prospects of assuming the chairmanship of the city council.

Meanwhile, the final outcomes of local elections across Georgia's regions remain pending. Per preliminary data from the Central Election Commission, the New Rightists and Industrialists, alongside independent candidates, have garnered the majority of mandates in local councils, particularly in Western Georgia. Notably, the erstwhile ruling party, the pro-presidential "Citizens Union," retains a lead solely in Telavi.