Rose Revolution

Rose Revolution refers to a peaceful 2003 revolution in the country of Georgia that displaced president Eduard Shevardnadze.

Elections and protests

Georgia held parliamentary elections on November 2, 2003 which were denounced by local and international observers as being grossly rigged. Mikhail Saakashvilli claimed that he had won the elections (a claim supported by independent exit polls), and urged Georgians to demonstrate against Shevardnadze's government and engage in nonviolent civil disobedience against the authorities. The main democratic opposition parties united to demand the ouster of Shevardnadze and the rerun of the elections.

Related Topics:
Parliamentary elections - November 2 - 2003

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In mid-November, massive anti-governmental demonstrations started in the central streets of Tbilisi, soon involving almost all major cities and towns of Georgia. ?Kmara? (?Enough!?) youth organization (a Georgian counterpart of the Serbian ?Otpor?) and several NGOs were active in all protest activities. Shevardnadze?s government was backed by Aslan Abashidze, the semi-separatist leader of autonomous Ajara region, who sent thousands of his supporters to hold a pro-governmental counter-demonstration in Tbilisi.

Related Topics:
Kmara - Serbia - Otpor - NGO - Ajara - Tbilisi

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