Opposition Coalitions Continue to Expand
Two opposition alliances, Coalition for Change and Unity to Save Georgia, have expanded as the opposition seeks to amalgamate into blocks ahead of the October parliamentary elections.
On August 17, UNM leader Tina Bokuchava announced that the Unity – to Save Georgia coalition led by the United National Movement has absorbed the rump European Georgia, which saw two of its leaders and some members quit over the row triggered by the party primaries. “I think that today there is nothing more valuable than uniting forces,” said Gigi Tsereteli, who now chairs European Georgia, “even after that painful moment.”
On August 18, the Republican Party and the organization Activists for Future joined the Coalition for Change, originally formed by Ahali, Girchi-More Freedom, and Droa parties. The Republican Party is one of Georgia’s oldest parties, although also diminished following several splits. Khatuna Samnidze, its leaders said, from the day of its foundation in 1978, the party believed in the multi-party coalition “based on dialogue and consensus.” “I have won my personal battle,” said Samnidze, who beat back cancer last year, “now it is time to heal the country.” The Coalition for Change also welcomed Activists for Future, a movement of activists from Georgia’s ethnic minority groups.
As of now, the composition of the opposition units is as follows:
Unity – to save Georgia (ballot number 5) unites the United National Movement (UNM), Strategy Aghmashenebeli, and European Georgia.
Coalition for Change (ballot number 4) unites Ahali, Girchi-More Freedom, Droa, the Republican Party, and the organization Activists for Future.
Strong Georgia (ballot number 9) – Lelo for Georgia, Ana Dolidze for People, Citizens, and the movement Freedom Square.
Ex-PM Gakharia’s For Georgia and the parliamentary party Girchi continue to run independently.
Newly formed The Federalists of the former European Georgia cannot run independently as they missed the registration deadline. The party is currently debating whether to join any of the standing coalitions.
The opposition has an incentive to join forces in a bid to reduce wasted votes due to the 5% threshold in the first-ever fully proportional polls.
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