Ruling party Honorary Chair labels October elections “referendum between war and peace, slavery and freedom”

Bidzina Ivanishvili, the Honorary Chair and founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party, and former Prime Minister, has described the upcoming October 26 general elections as a “referendum on the nation's future”. 

Speaking at a campaign event in Mtskheta, the former capital of the country in central Georgia on Wednesday, Ivanishvili stressed the elections presented a “choice between war and peace, slavery and freedom, moral decline and Christian values, and between a dark past and a bright European future”. 

He also highlighted the gravity of the challenges facing the country, describing them as “no less difficult than those of the past three millennia”, and emphasised that “protecting peace, dignity, sovereignty, Christian values, and the nation's bright future require constant vigilance”.

Securing a constitutional majority: more than just winning the elections

Ivanishvili highlighted the GD’s objective extended beyond merely winning the elections. He defined the primary goal as securing a constitutional majority - at least 113 seats in the 150-member parliament - necessary to “successfully address both short-term and long-term national challenges.”

Primary objective: prosecuting the United National Movement

Ivanishvili stressed the GD required a constitutional majority primarily to prosecute the United National Movement, the ruling party from 2004 to 2012. 

He labelled the UNM an “illness” for the country, arguing that securing the constitutional majority would enable the GD to initiate legal proceedings against the UNM, potentially “leading to its ban and that of its allied parties”.

During their time in power, the UNM's legacy was one of authoritarianism, killings, torture, business racketeering, attacks on TV stations, election rigging, and numerous other crimes that cannot go unpunished”, Ivanishvili said. He added in 2008, the UNM involved Georgia in a war that he said resulted in the loss of 20 percent of its territory, the deaths of over 400 citizens, and the displacement of 30,000 Georgians.

Ivanishvili urged the upcoming elections to serve as a “Nuremberg trial” for the UNM, where the Georgian people would pass judgement on the “stateless politicians and foreign agents responsible for all anti-state actions”.

Protecting “national and Christian values”

Ivanishvili identified the protection of “national and Christian values” as the second reason for securing a constitutional majority. He argued that the majority would enable  GD to pass a constitutional law on Family Values and the Protection of Minors, opposing “LGBT propaganda” and “other manifestations of pseudo-liberal ideology”. 

At the constitutional level in Georgia, same-sex civil partnerships, the adoption of children by LGBT couples, gender reassignment surgeries, and LGBT propaganda in media and schools will be prohibited”, he asserted.

Ivanishvili further warned that “anti-Christian forces” aimed to destroy national, religious, and personal identities, with the goal of “creating individuals devoid of dignity and morality”. He stressed the need to oppose the spread of the alleged “pseudo-liberal ideology” in Georgia.

“At any time, the issue of restoring Georgia’s territorial integrity may arise”

Ivanishvili also addressed the political situation in the world and the South Caucasus region, suggesting that “at any time, the issue of restoring Georgia’s territorial integrity may arise”. He emphasised that constitutional changes might be necessary to adjust the country's governance system and territorial arrangement to the potential new reality.

He warned that the “collective UNM” would likely oppose “national interests” in such a situation, creating obstacles to restoring territorial integrity. Therefore, Ivanishvili argued, “GD must secure a constitutional majority in the next Parliament”.

Russia-Ukraine war will “definitely end” next year, Georgia “must maintain peace” 

Ivanishvili predicted that the Russia-Ukraine war would “definitely end next year”, stressing the importance of the GD holding a constitutional majority to “maintain peace” in Georgia. 

He warned that a “single mistake” could lead to “loss of the country”, emphasising the war’s conclusion would strengthen peace in Georgia.

The more votes GD receives in the elections, the stronger the peace will be in our country”, Ivanishvili said, urging citizens to vote on October 26 “to protect Georgia’s national identity and ensure a bright future”.

In conclusion, Ivanishvili emphasised that the upcoming elections were about “saving the country, not politics” and  called on all citizens to “do everything in your power to ensure a free, independent, united, and strong Georgia for future generations”.