Alliance for Georgia Falls Apart

Four-party Alliance for Georgia has been dissolved, although parties will continue "close coordination," its leader Irakli Alasania announced late on June 15, adding that now he would focus on building and strengthening his own party Our Georgia-Free Democrats (OGFD).

The alliance was established in February, 2009 by New Rights, Republican Party and Irakli Alasania, Georgia’s former UN ambassador, who quit the post and went into opposition in December, 2008. In July, 2009 Alasania established his party, OGFD, which automatically became part of the Alliance for Georgia in which Alasania was a chairman. In April, 2010 the Alliance was joined by ex-foreign minister Salome Zourabichvili’s party, Georgia’s Way.

"We have spent a very interesting year within the Alliance. For me, who was a newcomer in the politics, it was a huge experience, because I had such political partners as New Rights, Republicans and Georgia’s Way," Alasania said in a live interview with Kavkasia TV’s talk-show, Barrier.

"After the local elections, we are now moving to a new regime of relations. It includes close coordination, because we agree on strategic issues… So we will be in close coordination, but not in a form of alliance," he said.

He said that parties, which were part of the Alliance for Georgia, now had two major goals; one "to jointly struggle for change of electoral environment" and the second "to strengthen our own political parties."

"There is a big chance that we will again go into next elections on a joint ticket or even with broader alliance," Alasania said.

Meanwhile, he added, he was directing his attention on "building a political machine", referring to party infrastructure, "which will be ready for the elections both in Tbilisi and regions."

During the elections Alasania and his party had mainly to rely on New Rights and Republican parties’ infrastructure.  

With 19% of votes Alasania was second in the Tbilisi mayoral race in the May 30 local elections. He said that although the elections were valid, they were far from being fair as there was no level playing field. He said it was exactly what needed to be changed.

He also said that one of his "biggest mistakes" was wasting too much time in talking with other opposition parties, rather than with voters. Alasania acknowledged that he started his campaign too late and he should have launched it at least five months earlier. 

"Last one month and a half was the most important period for me since I came into politics", he said, referring to meetings with voters as part of election campaign.

"That’s exactly what I am going to continue – meeting with people and to strengthen my voter base and to further increase it," he said.

He also said that the Alliance for Georgia failed "to mobilize supporters" to secure higher voter turnout on the election day, which he said was partly because of lack of financial resources. He said that he would use internet and social networking sites more actively in the future to target young voters.

Alliance for Georgia won five seats in Tbilisi’s new, 50-member City Council, of which two are from of OGFD – Zurab Abashidze and Victor Dolidze. Republican Party, New Rights Party and Georgia’s Way will have one member each.

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