TBILISI, Georgia (AP) - Under fire from the West, the U.S.-friendly leader of this former Soviet republic moved Thursday to defuse an explosive political crisis by calling an early presidential election and promising to quickly lift a state of emergency. President Mikhail Saakashvili also offered minor concessions to the opposition, whose protests demanding electoral reforms were violently broken up a day earlier by riot police using tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannon.But while his already weakening popularity is likely to take a further hit, the president is expected to win a second term in the Jan. 5 election because the fragmented opposition lacks the time and resources to mount a serious challenge.
Saakashvili's televised address late Thursday appeared to be an attempt to respond to the criticism and ease tensions while retaining his political control. He said he was calling the early presidential election "to gain the trust of the people." "My compromise is that the opposition is given a chance to get elected by the people, if they have the support," he said.
He also proposed simultaneously holding a referendum on when to hold the next elections for parliament. That ballot had been moved back to late 2008, but the opposition is demanding the election be held earlier in the year as originally scheduled. Under the Georgian constitution, the president is elected for a five-year term and calling an early election would require parliament's approval. A majority of legislators back Saakashvili and they are expected to quickly endorse his decision.
Saakashvili also expressed readiness to discuss other measures the opposition says would make the electoral system more democratic. "In the long term, the political environment will emerge from these recent events as more competitive and less dominated by the ruling party," said Ana Jelenkovic, a Georgia analyst at Eurasia Group, a U.S.-based firm that provides advice on geopolitical risks.