Opposition parties agree not to form coalition with ruling Georgian Dream party
The leaders of the political parties said this is ‘an unprecedented agreement’ by which opposition politicians also agree that the opposition should stand together against the current government. Photo: on.ge.
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Opposition political parties have agreed not to form a coalition government with the ruling Georgian Dream party after the parliamentary elections tomorrow if the ruling party receives less than 40 per cent of votes in the proportional elections. Per the constitutional amendments earlier this year none of parties will be able to form the government alone if they receive less than 40 per cent of votes in the proportional elections.
The agreement was signed today in the office of the Labor Party.
The leaders of the political parties said this is ‘an unprecedented agreement’ by which opposition politicians also agree that the opposition should stand together against the current government.
The joint statement of the opposition political parties reads that Bidzina Ivanishvili’s eight-year oligarchic governance has significantly weakened Georgia’s democratic institutions, damaged the country’s strategic economic prospects, including the construction of the Anaklia deep-water port and has prevented western investors from entering the project.
The statement also reads that the current government weakened Georgia’s negotiations with Russia on the country’s de-occupation issues.
The signatories to the agreement are Strategy Aghmashenebeli, Girchi, European Georgia, European Democrats, Law and Justice (Tamar Charkviani), United Georgia (Nino Burjanadze), United National Movement, Labor Party and Republican Party.
The ruling party says they will not need the coalition as they will receive at least 60 per cent of total votes.
Responding to the issue Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia said the Georgian Dream party will do its best not to need a coalition this time around.
They [opposition politicians] who were fighting for a more proportional electoral system are coming out today and saying that they will not form a coalition government with the largest force in the country. This is a complete inconsistency”, said Gakharia.
On October 31 Georgia will hold its parliamentary elections in a different manner – 120 seats in parliament will be distributed based on votes received in proportional elections, while remaining 30 per the votes received in majoritarian elections.
Previously 77 seats in its 150-member parliament were allocated proportionally, under the party-list system, while the remaining 73 MPs were elected in 73 single-mandate constituencies.
On election day Georgian citizens will elect mayors in five municipalities and City Council (Sakrebulo) MPs in four municipalities as well.