Free but not fair
Georgian voters deftly got rid of the dilemma: the presidential elections they have to make a choice between stability and democracy, between authoritarian party and a fragmented opposition. At first glance it seems that they voted for stability, as causing a mixed assessment of President Mikhail Saakashvili received a majority of votes in the first round. Saakashvili himself said in November that he looked forward to a thunderous victory in the 70% - and this after the security services controlled by him violently broke up a disproportionately peaceful protests of opposition and he had to announce the holding of early elections. After the “Rose Revolution”, he received 96% of the vote. In Parliament, his party has a two-thirds majority. In light of these entry points, as well as unequal resources of candidates, a victory for Saakashvili looks and not so ambitious. The opposition has been unable to win the election because it represented the 6 candidates. But despite this division, not having a bright charisma entrepreneur Levan Gachechiladze was able to recruit 27% of the vote. This success has made opposition to the referendum, which the Georgian authorities carried out in parallel with the election: two-thirds of citizens favored the postponement of parliamentary elections in the spring. In doing so, voters repealed a decision Saakashvili, who led the whirlwind of protests in the autumn. He argued his decision - parliamentary and presidential elections, he intended to be held simultaneously in the autumn of 2008 - because otherwise the country could enter into a protracted phase of political instability, which would coincide with the moment of independence of Kosovo and possible perturbations in own rebel provinces. In addition, only a strong power, according to Saakashvili, in a position to respond to constant economic and political intervention by Russia.
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