Reports of high turnout as Georgians head to polls in pivotal election

Today’s vote has been described as one of the most critical for the South Caucasus nation of 3.7 million people, and also one of its most divisive.

In a rally ahead of the election members of the ruling Georgian Dream party addressed thousands of supporters, telling them to “choose peace, not war”.

The party, led by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, has said the election is a choice between peace under their direction or potential war with neighbouring Russia.

Their 12-year grip on power will be threatened by four main opposition parties: United National Movement, Strong Georgia, Coalition for Change and For Georgia.

All four have subscribed to President Salome Zourabichvili’s “Georgian Charter”, an action plan that proposes they band together to establish a technical government following the election with the priority of re-opening accession talks with the European Union.

Georgia’s EU membership bid was frozen after Georgian Dream introduced the so-called “foreign agents” bill, which requires all organisations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as agents of foreign influence.

Critics, including Georgia’s opposition, say that the bill is an example of how Georgian Dream wants to drag the country into Russia’s orbit and away from its long-held European ambitions.

Join us live as we follow developments from the region, including results and reactions.