AN EPIDEMIC OF DEMOCRATIZATION:

SAAKASHVILI SECURES PRESIDENCY AMID HEAVY TURNOUT IN GEORGIA (EurasiaWeek, 1/05/04)

Calling it "probably the fairest election" in Georgia’s history, National Movement leader Mikheil Saakashvili declared himself the winner of the January 4 presidential poll in Georgia. Saakashvili promised reforms to streamline government and reduce corruption, while cautioning that fostering stability in Georgia "will not happen in a day or two." [...]

Although Saakashvili appeared to largely achieve his aim of securing victory without the appearance of large-scale fraud, at least one prominent political enemy alleged that vote-rigging had occurred. Labor Party leader Shalva Natelashvili complained that the CEC had been packed with supporters of the Saakashvili-dominated provisional government. "Everything was decided in advance," Natelashvili said in comments broadcast by the Russian RTR television channel.

Saakashvili brushed aside such criticism, claiming a broad mandate to pursue an ambitious reform agenda. "We have received a very important mandate from our population to clean up the country: to consolidate power here; to make it efficient; to make it investment friendly; to make it peaceful and prosperous."

The president-elect went on to say that his top priorities would be to implement constitutional changes that would facilitate the reorganization of the national government, to launch a wide-ranging campaign to curb corruption and to improve Georgia’s relations with Russia.

The government reorganization would establish a cabinet headed by a prime minister. Saakashvili said he intends to appoint Zurab Zhvania, one of the leaders of the current provisional government, to the post. The president elect also announced that the government would now focus on setting a date for new parliamentary elections. [...]

Shevardnadze surprised many Georgian political observers by endorsing Saakashvili shortly before the election.

Good for Mr. Shevardnadze.

Posted by Orrin Judd at January 5, 2004 8:55 PM