Georgia's ruling party leads as partial results released

Georgia's ruling party is set to beat the pro-Western opposition in a closely watched legislative election, according to partial results that indicated a new setback to the Caucasus country's bid to join the European Union.

The election in Russia's southern neighbour has been portrayed by political analysts as a fundamental choice between a European future for Georgia or closer ties with Russia.

With votes from 70% of precincts counted, the central election commission said the Georgian Dream party was leading with 53%, while an opposition union was on 38.28%.

"Georgian Dream has secured a solid majority" in the new parliament, the ruling party's executive secretary, Mamuka Mdinaradze, told journalists.

The EU has been deeply critical of Georgian Dream's policies and has warned that the election will determine Georgia's chances of joining the bloc.

Rival exit polls published after voting in the country of four million had shown the ruling party and the opposition ahead.

Read more: What's at stake in Georgia's election?

Pro-opposition President Salome Zurabishvili had hailed a victory for "European Georgia" after one exit poll showed the opposition in the lead.

After a poll saying the government had won, Hungary's nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban congratulated Georgian Dream, saying on social media it had scored an "overwhelming victory".

Both sides claim victory citing rival exit polls

Earlier, Georgia's ruling party and opposition parties both claimed victory in a parliamentary election that they say will determine if the former Soviet republic moves towards the West or leans back towards Russia amid the war in Ukraine.

The leader of Georgia's opposition United National Movement Tina Bokuchava said that the country's ruling Georgian Dream party had lost a high-stakes parliamentary election in the country and should concede defeat.

Georgian Dream claimed victory citing an exit poll by a pro-government television station, while opposition parties claimed their own victory, citing two more exit polls.

Watch: Georgians in Ireland vote in decisive election

Ms Bokuchava said: "Most people will be taking Bidzina Ivanishvili's claims of a government majority with a large bucket of salt."

"We will await the final official tally, but the loser should have the good grace to admit defeat and bow out."

One survey showed the ruling party, which has recently moved towards pro-Russian rhetoric, winning comfortably and two other polls showed the opposition would clinch a majority.

An exit poll by the Georgian Dream-supporting Imedi TV channel showed the ruling party winning 56%.

But exit polls by the pro-opposition Formula and Mtavari Arkhi channels showed major gains for pro-Western opposition parties, who they suggested would together be able to form a majority in the 150-seat parliament.

All three TV channels showed candidates they respectively supported clapping and celebrating victory.

Bidzina Ivanishvili, the ruling party's reclusive billionaire founder and onetime prime minister, claimed victory.

"It is a rare case in the world that the same party achieves such success in such a difficult situation - this is a good indicator of the talent of the Georgian people," Mr Ivanishvili said just minutes after polls closed.

"I assure you, our country will achieve great success in the next four years," Mr Ivanishvili said.

In power since 2012, Georgian Dream has shifted in the past two years towards pro-Russian rhetoric and has drawn the ire of its Western allies for what they cast as its increasingly authoritarian bent.

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili - a one-time ally of the ruling party turned fierce critic whose powers are mostly ceremonial - and independent domestic election monitors had alleged Georgian Dream was engaged in widespread vote-buying and other forms of electoral abuse in the lead-up to the vote.

Georgian Dream did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"European Georgia is winning with 52% despite attempts to rig elections and without votes from the diaspora," Ms Zourabichvili had said on X.

The Formula exit poll said that the ruling party would be the single largest party but that the four main opposition parties combined would have 83 seats.

Georgia's four main opposition blocs are deeply divided, and it is unclear if they will be able to work together if they deprive Georgian Dream of its majority.