Parliamentary elections were held in Georgia on October 26. According to data from the CEC website, the elections were monitored by 102 local organizations and 76 international ones. Alongside the elections, pro-government media outlets circulated statements from international observers, portraying the election process in a highly positive light. Observers claimed that the elections adhered to the highest standards, took place in a calm and competitive environment, and reported no significant violations.International organizations, such as the OSCE and other reputable entities, play a vital role in ensuring that elections meet democratic principles and foster trust both domestically and internationally. However, the elections also saw the participation of foreign politicians and analysts with questionable reputations, registered as observers. Additionally, there is a recurring issue of pseudo-observers, whose primary aim is often to promote political agendas and legitimize the host country’s regime. In light of these concerns, Myth Detector researched the international observers whose statements were highlighted in pro-government media on October 26 and 27.
The research uncovered the following findings:
- French observer Loup Bommier, who participated in monitoring the 2024 Russian presidential elections, has been classified as a pseudo-observer by international monitoring organizations.
- François Gicquel, head of the SOSCO organization, alleged to have secretly funded militias linked to the Assad regime, was expelled from the French far-right party in 2011 for performing a Nazi salute.
- Imedi published two posts attributed to French observer Alain Jean-Mairet, but the accompanying photos depict different individuals (Marc Guerin and Alain Avril), both linked to far-right groups.
- The name Alain Jean-Mairet, possibly used by pro-government media, may refer to Alain Jean-Mairet, the director of the far-right platform Riposte Laïque, who has been convicted of inciting hatred against Muslims.
- David Bitan, an Israeli Knesset member and chairman of the Economic Committee, faces accusations of corruption and money laundering.
- Some Hungarian observers have connections to the ruling Fidesz party and are known for expressing Eurosceptic views.
Loup Beaumier
Loup Bommier is a French politician associated with the far-right party “Reconquête,” established in 2021 by Éric Zemmour. The party advocates for reducing immigration, promoting economic nationalism, and adopting Eurosceptic stances that challenge European Union policies. Bommier’s political activities include a visit to Nagorno-Karabakh in May 2023 at the invitation of the Azerbaijani government. Notably, he also participated as an observer in the Russian presidential election in March 2024.
Bommier was among a group assessed as “pseudo-observers” during the 2024 Russian presidential election by international organizations observing the elections (Fake Observation, the European Platform for Democratic Elections (EPDE)). In April 2024, the German non-governmental organization the European Platform for Democratic Elections (EPDE) uncovered 183 “foreign observers” and “experts” who, at the invitation of Russian authorities, monitored the elections. These elections, controlled by the Putin regime, were conducted not only within Russia but also in the occupied territories of Ukraine, including Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, Zaporizhia, Crimea, and Sevastopol. The pseudo-observers invited by Russian authorities helped create a facade of transparency and a semblance of a democratic process.
Pseudo-observers are frequently employed to deliver politically motivated assessments aimed at legitimizing both Russian domestic elections and those conducted in Russian-occupied territories.
François Gicquel
Francois Gicquel serves as the executive director of the French organization SOS Chrétiens d’Orient (SOSCO). While the organization claims to provide humanitarian aid to Christian communities in the Middle East, a 2021 investigation by the New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy revealed that it was secretly funding Assad’s militias, accused of committing torture and killings in Syria. The investigation uncovered direct ties between SOSCO and the National Defense Forces (NDF), a militia closely aligned with the Assad regime. Leaked documents indicated that hundreds of thousands of euros were funneled annually from France to Syria, circumventing international sanctions via intermediary financial institutions in Iraq and Lebanon, where SOSCO maintained regional offices. Additional evidence includes forged invoices designed to mislead French auditors and confirm SOSCO’s direct financial links to Assad’s militias. Notably, approximately €46,000 in cash from SOSCO was traced to Simon al-Wakil, a commander of the NDF militia.
Although SOSCO has ties to the French far-right, François Gicquel was expelled from a French far-right party in 2011 after photographs emerged showing him performing a Nazi salute.
In November 2021, François Gicquel attended an event hosted by the Gorchakov Foundation and the Franco-Russian Dialogue. The discussions focused on European security and Russia’s role as a key actor on the global stage. During the event, Giquel emphasized the importance of European cooperation with Russia, particularly in matters of security.
It should be noted that on October 26, TV Imedi aired an assessment attributed to observer François Lucam. However, the accompanying photo depicted François Gicquel instead. While this could be attributed to a mix-up due to similar names, a search for “François Lucam” yields no results apart from an article on any.ge, which features both a quote from “Lucam” and a photo of Giquel. No additional evidence confirming the existence of an observer named François Lucam has been found in other sources.
On October 26, POSTV posted a quote attributed to “François Lucam” along with a photo of François Gicquel on their Instagram page.
Alain Jean-Mairet and Alain Avril
Another confusion arises with international observer Alain Jean-Mairet. On October 26 and 27, TV Imedi published two posts under his name, but with different photos.
In addition to TV Imedi, various photos have also been published by Info9 and Primetime.ge.
When using an image search tool to verify the first photo, it was revealed that the person identified as Alain Jean-Mairet was actually Marc Gairin.
Marc Gairin is a French civil servant who was initially affiliated with the Republicans (Les Républicains) before joining Éric Zemmour’s Reconquête party. He was the party’s candidate in the 2022 legislative elections. His ties to the Eurosceptic Reconquête party and alignment with Zemmour reflect a broader skepticism toward EU policies.
As for the second individual referred to as Alain Jean-Mairet, in other Georgian media outlets is actually Alain Avril. While Avril is French, he is not an expert, as claimed, but the founder of the clothing brand Aper, according to the French organization Les Surligneurs. Avril is linked to Riposte Laïque, a platform known for its ultra-conservative views. Additionally, the Aper brand presents itself as a “patriotic clothing brand” that opposes wokism.
Alain Jean-Mairet, whose quote is being circulated alongside photos of other individuals, may be the director of the French far-right website Riposte Laïque, Alain Jean-Mairet. No other politically connected person by this name has been identified. Alain Jean-Mairet was convicted by a French court in April 2016 for inciting hatred against Muslims and was fined €8,000. Riposte Laïque is known for its anti-Islam and anti-immigration views and has faced legal challenges multiple times for promoting racial and religious hatred.
David Bitan
David Bitan is the chairman of the Israeli Knesset’s Economic Committee. In recent years, he has faced significant scrutiny due to serious corruption allegations. In 2021, Bitan was indicted on seven charges, including bribery, tax evasion, fraud, and money laundering. The indictment claims that he accepted approximately 990,000 Israeli new shekels in bribes from real estate developers and other businesses in return for advancing their projects. Bitan denies all charges, asserting that they are politically motivated. Despite the indictment, he has remained in the Knesset, though his parliamentary immunity has been suspended during his ongoing trial. Bitan could face imprisonment if convicted.
Other Observers
In addition to observers with questionable reputations, Imedi TV also aired assessments on October 26 and 27 from Hungarian politicians Lőrinc Nacsa and András László. Both are members of Hungary’s ruling party and share views aligned with Prime Minister Orbán. Lőrinc Nacsa and András László both criticize EU sanctions against Russia, and their general attitude toward the EU is notably skeptical.
OSCE/ODIHR’s Evaluation
On October 11, the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission published an interim report evaluating the pre-election environment for the October 26 parliamentary elections, highlighting political polarization and rising tensions. The report noted that the campaign was marked by highly polarized rhetoric, with the opposition accusing the authorities of employing intimidation tactics. It also pointed out that several amendments had been made to the Electoral Code in recent years, but the 2024 amendments were implemented without public consultation, and some of the ODIHR’s previous recommendations remain unaddressed. The report emphasized issues such as inaccuracies in the voter lists, an increase in the number of voters at polling stations, and the need for greater transparency regarding the technology used. It further discussed the inaccuracies in the voter lists, attributing them to the inclusion of deceased individuals and citizens living abroad.
