Elections Brought Forward

The decision of President Mikhail Saakashvili to bring forward local and mayoral elections by two months without due warning has angered opposition parties, with some threatening to boycott the ballot. The move, which left many parties scrambling to register candidates before the revised deadline, leaves an already fragmented opposition with precious little time to organise an effective campaign. We expect the ruling party to enjoy considerable success in the ballots unless the opposition can quickly unite behind single candidates, though we believe the sudden change in date to be of concern for the future spread of democracy.

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