Partial recount in Georgia election confirms ruling party win, says electoral commission

A partial ballot recount in Georgia's contested parliamentary election confirmed the ruling party won, electoral officials said on Thursday, after opposition parties alleged violations and Washington and Brussels demanded an investigation.

Georgia plunged into political uncertainty following Saturday's election as the pro-Western opposition said the vote was "stolen" by the ruling Georgian Dream party and refused to recognise its results.

Pro-European President Salome Zurabishvili -- at loggerheads with the governing party -- has declared the election results "illegitimate", alleging election interference by a "Russian special operation".

The central election commission told AFP that the recount at some 12 per cent of polling stations, involving 14 per cent of the vote, "didn't lead to a significant change to previously announced official results".

"Final tallies only slightly changed at some nine per cent of recounted polling stations," a spokeswoman said.

Tens of thousands took to the streets on Monday to protest against alleged fraud.

International observers, the European Union and the United States have denounced electoral irregularities and demanded a full investigation.

Georgia's interior ministry said two were arrested following alleged ballot stuffing at a provincial polling station, while prosecutors said they had opened 47 criminal cases over alleged electoral violations.