Ruling party’s presidential candidate’s non-partisanship "key" to countering "foreign-backed" polarisation – Acting PM

Irakli Kobakhidze, Georgia’s Acting Prime Minister, on Wednesday highlighted the significance of "non-partisanship" as the “key to depolarisation” in Georgia's political environment, emphasising the “key role” of Mikheil Kavelashvili, the ruling Georgian Dream party’s presidential candidate, in addressing this challenge.

“Only if the President acts in a non-partisan way can they facilitate so-called depolarisation and reduce radicalism. This was the key promise Mikheil Kavelashvili had made. His non-partisanship will be critical to opposing polarisation tendencies artificially imposed from the outside”, Kobakhidze told Imedi TV.

He also criticised the incumbent President, Salome Zourabichvili, accusing her of being a “politically biased officeholder” since 2021, which he claimed had exacerbated the country's political polarisation.

 “Unless the President, who is obliged by the constitution to stay non-partisan, acts in such a way, they will contribute to fuelling polarisation”, Kobakhidze noted. 

Addressing Kavelashvili’s candidacy, the official described the “aggressive reaction” from the opposition as “evidence” that the ruling party had selected the “most suitable candidate” for the presidency.

“As for the criticism from the opposition and their media outlets, including social media, this is more about a hate campaign than genuine criticism, which is typical of them and has no value at all. Based on past experience, these groups ran much dirtier campaigns six years ago”, he said, referencing attacks on Zourabichvili during her candidacy.

Kobakhidze further accused the opposition of “hypocrisy”, saying “once Zourabichvili betrayed the country and put herself in the service of foreign powers, they practically proclaimed her a hero. This is yet another attempt to sow hatred and incite so-called polarisation”.

Kobakhidze also praised Kavelashvili’s qualifications, describing him as a “patriotic individual” with “integrity and dignity demonstrated through his active involvement in politics” over the past eight years. He argued the traits had made him “well-suited” for the presidency.

“He has taken every step with exceptional and outstanding dignity. He is a patriotic individual, and these are the main qualities, naturally, that someone who is to care for the state must possess. Such is the position of the President of Georgia especially”, Kobakhidze noted.

The Acting PM concluded that Kavelashvili’s personality and commitment would “ensure his success” in the role, positioning him as a “unifying figure in a politically fragmented landscape”.