On July 8, the Chair of the United National Movement, Tina Bokuchava, announced a new political platform named “Unity – to Save Georgia.” She said it would bring together UNM, Strategy Agmashenebeli – two parties that have been in coalition for a year already – as well as representatives from other parties, civil society, and academia.
The new platform will be using UNM ballot number 5 in the upcoming elections. Its leaders are:
Chair of UNM, Tina Bokuchava; Chair of Strategy Aghmashenebeli, Giorgi Vashadze; Independent MP, Tamar Kordzaia; Independent MP, Armaz Akhvlediani; The representative of the former President, Mikheil Saakashvili, Sopo Japaridze; Political Scientist and a Professor, Gia Japaridze; Writer, literature expert, historian, Lasha Bakradze; Civic activist, Ana Mosadze; Activist and member of UNM, Irakli Pavlenishvili; Activist and the leader of the Strategy Aghmashenebeli youth wing, Lasha Diarovi.
Due to the 5% threshold for political parties to enter Parliament, opposition parties began to unify in political platforms starting in 2023. Exactly a year ago, UNM and Strategy Aghmashenebli announced their unification under the platform “Platform for Victory.” After the reintroduction and later the adoption of the Foreign Agents law, President Salome Zurabishvili called on the opposition parties to unify more quickly to win the elections in October 2024, announcing her plans for future reforms with the “Georgian Charter“. The opposition parties have already signed onto the Charter, and some have promised more unification in the coming months.