1% of Respondents Willing to See Saakashvili on President's Post Again

Tbilisi. The public opinion survey, conducted by the National
Democratic Institute (NDI), revealed that 58% of respondents want to see a
candidate from now-ruling Georgian Dream coalition on the president's post; 1%
voted for incumbent President, Mikheil Saakashvili.

When asked, "who would you like to
see as next president of Georgia?", the majority of respondents (58%)
named a candidate from the Georgian Dream coalition; 8% - a candidate from the
former ruling party - United National Movement (UNM); 3% - Giorgi Khmaladze
(Christian-Democratic Movement); 2% - Shalva Natelashvili (Labor Party); 1% -
other candidate and 4% - none. At the same time, 17% of the survey respondents
have not decided whom to vote for; while 6% of respondents refused to answer
the question.

At the same time, 68% of respondents said
they would go to the polls if they were conducted the other day. Presidential
elections in Georgia are due in October this year.

NDI Resident Director, Luis Navarro,
presented a part of the survey findings on public attitudes in Georgia, at
Tbilisi-based Courtyard Marriott Hotel, on Monday, April 22.

The face-to-face public opinion survey was
conducted throughout Georgia, March 13-27. Overall 3 103 people were
interviewed. The margin of error made 2.5%.

Funded by the Swedish International
Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), the survey was conducted on the NDI's
order by the Caucasus Research Resource Center (CRRC).