MP Switches Parliament Factions in Favor of Republicans
MP Tamar Kordzaia, a majoritarian MP from Tbilisi’s Nadzaladevi single-mandate constituency, has moved from Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia (GDDG) parliamentary faction to Republican Party’s faction, both part of the Georgian Dream majority group in the parliament.
Although liberal-minded MP Kordzaia was a member of GDDG faction, her voting record has been more in line with those of the Republican lawmakers rather than with GDDG and informally she has always been affiliated more with the Republican Party rather than with GDDG.
MP Kordzaia cited being “closer” to Republican Party’s liberal values as the reason behind her decision.
But timing of her decision indicates that it was done to prevent decrease in number of MPs in the Republicans faction in the Parliament.
After two Republican lawmakers – Tina Khidasheli and Gigla Agulashvili – were appointed on government posts, taking defense and environment ministers portfolios, respectively, number of Republicans in the Parliament declined to seven.
Although Agulashvili will be automatically replaced by another Republican Party member from the GD coalition’s list, Khidasheli’s vacant majoritarian seat in the parliament will be filled through by-election in Sagarejo single-mandate constituency in October.
With MP Kordzaia’s decision to join the Republicans faction, the latter has kept nine seats in the parliament.
GD ruling coalition, which holds 87 seats in the Parliament, consists of seven factions.
The largest one is GDDG, party founded by ex-PM Bidzina Ivanishvili and now chaired by PM Irakli Garibashvili, with 45 MPs.
GD-Republicans faction will have 9 lawmakers after the new one to replace Agulashvili is confirmed.
GD-Conservatives, GD-National Forum and GD-Industrialists factions have 6 members each.
Two other factions within the GD majority group with six members in each are formed by formerly UNM majoritarian MPs. Two members of the GD parliamentary majority group are not united in any of the factions.
