Major parties taking part in what is widely seen as an unfair race for Georgia’s October 4 local elections – including the ruling Georgian Dream party, the opposition Lelo/Strong Georgia alliance, and ex-Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia’s For Georgia party – have unveiled their candidates to compete for majoritarian seats in Tbilisi’s City Council (Sakrebulo), a local self-governing body.
Lelo/Strong Georgia and Gakharia’s For Georgia have presented joint candidates.
Under legislative amendments adopted by the Georgian Dream parliament in December, the number of majoritarian seats in self-governing city councils increased. In Tbilisi’s 50-member body, the split shifted from 10 majoritarian and 40 proportional seats to an even 25–25. Majoritarian seats are believed to favor the ruling party, while proportional seats have allowed smaller opposition parties to gain representation in local government bodies.
Georgian Dream
Incumbent Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze of Georgian Dream, who is seeking a third term after the ruling party endorsed him, presented the party’s majoritarian candidates for the Tbilisi City Council (Sakrebulo) on August 7 at the GD’s headquarters. Of the 25 candidates, none are women. The list is as follows:
- Mtatsminda – Zurab Abashidze
- Saburtalo – Beka Mikautadze, Archil Nizharadze, Shalva Peranidze
- Krtsanisi – Levan Japaridze
- Isani – Kakhaber Labuchidze, Beka Menteshashvili, Davit Khabeishvili
- Samgori – Giorgi Dokhturishvili, Zakaria Tsiklauri, Vazha Kokaia, Mamuka Khabareli
- Chughureti – Zurab Chikviladze
- Didube – Givi Chkhartishvili, Shota Kevkhishvili
- Nadzaladevi – Irakli Bendeliani, Shalva Maisuradze, Davit Chelidze, Valerian Papuashvili
- Gldani – Shalva Obgaidze, Tsotne Chikvinidze, Mikheil Rekhviashvili, Jaba Koghue
Lelo/Strong Georgia, For Georgia
Lelo’s Irakli Kupradze, a joint Tbilisi mayoral candidate of the Lelo/Gakharia alliance, and For Georgia’s Giorgi Sharashidze, who was picked by the two parties as Sakrebulo Chair nominee, presented their alliance’s joint candidates for majoritarian seats in the Tbilisi City Council on August 25. Of the 25 candidates, 13 come from Lelo and 11 from For Georgia, while one is neutral. 12 candidates are women, including one person with disability. The list of candidates is as follows:
- Mtatsminda — Lana Galdava (Lelo)
- Vake — Zaza Tavadze (For Georgia), Vakhtang Surguladze (Lelo)
- Saburtalo — Salome Kobaladze (For Georgia), Ramaz Mandaria (Lelo), Roin Kochorashvili (For Georgia)
- Krtsanisi — Tamar Bokoveli (Lelo)
- Isani — Sopo Khorguani (For Georgia), Giorgi Sioridze (Lelo), Vika Pilpani (For Georgia)
- Samgori — Nino Katamadze, Guliko Zumbadze (Lelo), Giga Katsia, Daji Kovziridze (For Georgia)
- Didube — Beka Beridzishvili (Lelo), Giorgi Sharashidze (For Georgia)
- Chughureti — Rusudan Tevzadze (For Georgia)
- Nadzaladevi — Eka Udesiani (independent), Nika Cherkezishvili (Lelo), Ketevan Turazashvili (Lelo)
- Gldani — Koka Kobaladze, Pikria Kobaladze (For Georgia), Giorgi Rekhviashvili, Juba Loladze, Grigol Gegelia (Lelo)
The October 4 municipal election is boycotted by part of the opposition, who say participating would amount to cooperating with the disputed Georgian Dream government and normalizing its rule amid ongoing anti-government protests and state repression.
Also Read:
- 21/08/2025 – ISFED Says It Won’t Observe October 4 Local Elections with ‘Standard Mission’
- 08/07/2025 – ODIHR Regrets GD Government’s ‘Stated Intention’ Not to Invite Monitoring Mission
- 12/08/2020 – Lelo for Georgia Presents Majoritarian Candidates
- 20/07/2020 – Georgian Dream Presents Majoritarian Candidates