Georgia opposition boycotts parliament after Saakashvili win

0 Comments | AFP, May, 2008

TBILISI (AFP) — Georgia's opposition announced a boycott of parliament and street protests Friday as final election results confirmed a landslide victory for President Mikheil Saakashvili's party.

Saakashvili's United National Movement took 120 of the 150 seats in parliament after winning nearly all constituency seats and scoring 59.5 percent in voting for party lists, the electoral commission said.

The United Opposition Council, which trailed in second with 16 seats, said it would boycott parliament and called for public protests on Monday.

"The United Opposition Council is refusing to enter the new parliament," bloc leader Levan Gachechiladze said on the steps of parliament. "We call upon all Georgian citizens to rally on May 26 to start a new dissident...