The ruling Georgian Dream party unveiled its full list of 170 MP candidates for the upcoming October elections, although the Georgian parliament has 150 seats.
The leader of the parliamentary majority, Mamuka Mdinaradze, clarified to journalists that the ruling party has “objective expectations” of obtaining a constitutional majority, “exceeding 100 mandates by even a few dozen MPs.” they decided to expand the list because “some people leave” before assuming the mandates.
GD’s first 20 frontrunners were presented two weeks ago. Bidzina Ivanishvili, the party’s founder and honorary chairman, has been topping the ticket list for the first time since 2012.
The full list does not include several familiar GD faces, including Archil Talakvadze, the former Speaker of Parliament who was second on the 2020 list; Levan Kobiashvili, the head of the National Football Federation; Eliso Bolkvadze, a well-known pianist; and Beka Odisharia, who became notorious for his obscene remarks about female opposition MPs.
“There are consultations with Talakvadze on a very serious issue about which I have no right to speak until an agreement is reached,” Mdinaradze said. He said that some GD members are being considered for government, and Talakvadze could be one of them.
Several visible incumbent MPs for GD have dropped out of the top 50. Among them are Nino Tsilosani, Deputy Speaker of Parliament she is currently ranked 61; Irakli Zarkua, known for his vulgar anti-Western statements, is 72th; Mariam Lashkhi, who famously previously compared the “Global War Party” to Freemasons, is 59the; Aluda Ghudushauri at 70; Givi Mikanadze at 73, Viktor Japaridze at 55.
GD’s list also prominently features the members of its virulently anti-Western and conspirationist spin-off, People’s Power. Their top-rated MP, Sozar Subari, is 11th on the list, and the worst-rated, Victor Japaridze, is 55th.
Today, September 26, is the deadline for parties to submit their lists of parliamentary candidates. On October 26, Georgia will hold its first fully proportional parliamentary elections.
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