President’s Allies against Merger of National Movement and United Democrats

The Republican Party, which is in the election bloc with President Saakashvili’s National Movement party, intends to participate in the March 28 parliamentary elections independently, in case if the National Movement merges State Minister Zurab Zhvania’s United Democrats party.
 
“It fully depends on the consolidation of the National Movement and the United Democrats. If they form just an election bloc, we may unite in the coalition. However, the Republican Party will never disintegrate and consolidate with another party,” Davit Berdzenishvili, leader of the Republican party, told Civil Georgia on February 7. 
 
The Republican Party formed an election bloc with the National Movement in 2002. It is a small political group of influential politicians and representatives of the civil society, including legal expert Davit Usupashvili and Levan Berdzenishvili.
 
The National Movement led by Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and the United Democrats led by State Minister Zurab Zhvania announced about merger and forming the ruling political party backing the President on January 28.

However, a joint congress scheduled for February 4 was postponed for February 25 for unspecified reasons. 

As a result of the merger Mikheil Saakashvili has already triggered criticism of some of his allies. Koba Davitashvili, who was a key figure in the National Movement, announced that he quits the party, as he is against the merger with Zhvania’s party.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)