Reuters - Video

Edition: US | UK | IN | CN | JP

video Video

Shuttle astronauts arrive at Cape Canaveral
Shuttle astronauts arrive at Cape Canaveral - 01:18
Waiting for Bernanke
Waiting for Bernanke - 01:51
Thousands at Sai Baba funeral
Thousands at Sai Baba funeral - 01:03
Al Qaeda releases hostage messages
Al Qaeda releases hostage messages - 01:43
Obama calls birth controversy \
Obama calls birth controversy "distracting" - 05:29
Protests intensify in Yemen
Protests intensify in Yemen - 01:24
Border clashes displace thousands
Border clashes displace thousands - 01:50
Time magazine salutes their 100 most influential
Time magazine salutes their 100 most influential - 01:39
Tank convoy seen near Damascus
Tank convoy seen near Damascus - 00:53
U.S. says Libyan opposition deserves support
U.S. says Libyan opposition deserves support - 01:33
Deadly clashes in Sanaa, Yemen
Deadly clashes in Sanaa, Yemen - 01:11
Mega gas field find in Bolivia
Mega gas field find in Bolivia - 01:22

Tensions rise ahead of Georgia elections

Friday, September 28, 2012 - 01:25

Sept. 28 - Georgia's parliamentary elections pit President Mikheil Saakashvilli's ruling party against the Georgian Dream coalition led by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili. Sunita Rappai reports.

▲ Hide Transcript

▶ View Transcript

Thousands attend a rally in Georgia's capital Tbilisi in support of President Mikheil Saakashvili and his ruling United National Movement party ahead of Mondays' parliamentary elections. Saakashvili has been fighting a heated campaign against this man - billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili heading the Georgian Dream opposition coalition - for control of the 150-seat parliament. The strong personalities of both men have led to a fraught, often tense campaign characterised by frequent fist fights between their rival supporters. But after years of Saakashvili's party dominating the scene, some welcome the new competitive atmosphere. (SOUNDBITE) (English) GEORGIAN FOUNDATION FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES (GFSIS) ANALYST, ALEXANDER RONDELI, SAYING: "In general it is very competitive and I think that Georgian democracy is going ahead." Saakashvili's critics accuse him of curbing political freedoms and leading Georgia into a brief but disastrous war with Russia four years ago. Ivanishvili, meanwhile, who made his fortune in Russia in the 1990s, has been accused of being a Moscow stooge. Georgia approved a constitutional reform last year which changed the ex-Soviet Republic's presidential system to a mixed one with a more powerful premier and parliament from 2013.

Press CTRL+C (Windows), CMD+C (Mac), or long-press the URL below on your mobile device to copy the code

Close

Tensions rise ahead of Georgia elections

Friday, September 28, 2012 - 01:25