This is an inspiration concerning truly dynamic gitlab badges - install it onto an apache2 webserver with mod python and enjoy badges telling how many issues are open/closed right now - accurate with every reload of the page!

gitlab_issues.py

from anybadge import Badge
import gitlab
from urlparse import parse_qs

def index(req):
  #change the next two lines to accomodate your installation
  url='http://myhost'
  token='xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxx'
  args=req.args
  lbl='n/a'
  action='closedissues'
  projid=None
  if args != None:
    params = parse_qs(req.args)
    lbl=params.get('label', 'n/a')[0]
    action=params.get('action', None)[0]
    projid=params.get('projid', None)[0]
  req.content_type = 'image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8'
  filename='open_issues.svg'
  req.headers_out["Content-Disposition"] = "attachment; filename=%s" % filename
  gl = gitlab.Gitlab(url, private_token=token)
  project = None
  if projid is not None :
    project = gl.projects.get(1)
  vfmt="%d"
  if project is not None :
    if action is None:
      v='error'
      vfmt="%s"
    elif action == 'openedissues': 
      issues = project.issues.list(state='opened',all=True)
      v=str(len(issues))
    elif action == 'closedissues' : 
      issues = project.issues.list(state='closed',all=True)
      v=str(len(issues))
    else :
      v='error'
      vfmt="%s"
  else :
    v='error'
    vfmt="%s"
  badge = Badge(label=lbl, value=v, value_format=vfmt)
  return badge.badge_svg_text