In addition, we asked the experts to express their opinions about the strategies used and mistakes made by opposition candidates in the pre-election period. The majority of surveyed experts believe the problems facing opposition forces are: “dissipation”, “inability to consolidate” and “non-unity around a common candidate.” Furthermore, the respondents negatively evaluate the opposition parties’ reliance on using negative PR campaigns against each other rather than focusing on their own election programs. In the case of some political parties, the experts mentioned negative image stemming from party history.

The surveyed pundits also assessed the program of the ruling party’s mayoral candidate. In this case, the respondents’ positions and thoughts were divergent. While some experts (21 percent) think that Kaladze’s election program “weakly responds” or “does not/cannot respond” to the challenges Tbilisi is currently facing, others (36 percent) say it “partially responds.” The answers “responds well” or “very well” were chosen by 26 percent of all surveyed experts.

Table 3. In your opinion, how much does the election program of the ruling party’s mayoral candidate for Tbilisi respond to the problems existing in the capital?