Protesters in Tbilisi and Batumi demand free elections, reject “Russian special operation”

A large protest march is underway in Tbilisi, moving from Tbilisi State University to the Parliament building, under the slogan: Only Free Elections – No to the Russian Special Operation.

The march is organized by a coalition of groups boycotting the upcoming October 4, 2025 local elections, including opposition parties, civic activists, students, and family members of individuals detained during pro-European protests. The protest movement 300 Women has also joined the demonstration.

Organizers state that they do not recognize the legitimacy of the upcoming municipal elections and are demanding the immediate scheduling of new, free parliamentary elections.

Simultaneously, a parallel protest march is taking place in Batumi, with similar demands: the release of detained protesters and the announcement of new national elections.

All major opposition parties involved in the pro-European protest movement have declared a boycott of the October elections, with the exception of the Strong Georgia coalition and the Gakharia for Georgia party, which plan to participate while emphasizing coordination and cooperation.

For most of the opposition, the idea of holding elections under the current political conditions — including mass arrests of political leaders — is unacceptable.

The protest on July 19 marks the 234th consecutive day of the pro-European demonstrations on Rustaveli Avenue. The movement began nearly eight months ago, following the ruling party Georgian Dream's announcement on November 28, 2024, that it would not pursue EU accession talks for at least the next four years.

As of now, more than 60 individuals face criminal prosecution related to the protests. Of these, 10 were arrested during spring 2024 demonstrations, while 52 others were detained between November 2024 and February 2025 during large-scale rallies in support of Georgia’s European integration.