‘For Georgia’ and ‘Lelo’ alliance for elections
Analyst David Zurabishvili commented on the Georgian president’s initiative to invite former prime minister Giorgi Gakharia, leader of the ‘For Georgia’ party, and Mamuka Khazaradze, leader of ‘Lelo,’ to her residence for the final stage of negotiations.
According to Zurabishvili, the alliance between Gakharia’s ‘For Georgia’ and ‘Lelo’ (along with its allies) under the leadership of president Salome Zourabichvili is not only the right decision in the current situation but also one that “could play a decisive role” in removing Bidzina Ivanishvili (the oligarch and shadow ruler of Georgia) and the ruling ‘Georgian Dream’ party from power.
The president made this statement during a briefing at her residence in the Orbeliani Palace. Salome Zourabichvili welcomed Mamuka Khazaradze’s expressed willingness to unite, adding that Giorgi Gakharia had also shown readiness for cooperation. She emphasized that she is prepared to facilitate the negotiations as a neutral party.
Mamuka Khazaradze, in an interview on the TV channel ‘Formula,’ said that merging with Giorgi Gakharia’s party is possible.
David Zurabishvili stated:
“The alliance between Gakharia’s ‘For Georgia’ and ‘Lelo’ (with its allies) under the aegis of president Salome Zourabichvili is not just the right decision, but one that could play a decisive role in displacing Bidzina Ivanishvili and ‘Georgian Dream’ from power.
I will try to briefly explain why I think this way. However, given the importance of the topic, it’s unlikely I’ll be able to keep it very brief.
In particular, as a result of this alliance:
a) It will consolidate and create synergy among voters who do not support either the “National Movement” or “Georgian Dream.” Of course, there are Gakharia voters who do not want to vote for “Lelo” and “Lelo” voters who do not want to vote for Gakharia. However, there are far more who view this tactical alliance positively. If they previously had no intention of voting, they will now likely go to the polls to vote for this union. And they will do so not out of enthusiasm for any particular leader, but because the Salome-Khazaradze-Gakharia trio is already polling in double digits, and there is a strong chance this alliance will become the leading opposition force.
b) Such a strong alliance effectively dismantles the two main narratives of government propaganda: “Do you want war?” and “Do you want the return of the ‘Nationals’?” The portrayal of the opposition as the ‘party of war’ is based on the fear that if Bidzina is gone, Misha will come back, provoke Putin, and cause an attack on Georgia. This idea—that Misha is the instigator of war—is easily believed by both “Georgian Dream” voters and their wavering supporters. But no matter how much the authorities repeat it, no one will believe that Gakharia will start a war or that Khazaradze will provoke a conflict, just as they won’t believe they are connected to the “Nationals.” When there is a political force not tied to the “National Movement” but polling at its level, the fear-mongering about Misha’s return and the “Nationals” becomes ineffective and will no longer work as before.
c) The fact that a non-“National Movement” alliance could become the main opposition force represents a qualitatively new reality in Georgian politics. Since 2012, nothing like this has happened. I believe this will give rise to a new type of opposition voter and may even attract some government supporters who vote for “Georgian Dream” not because they favor it, but because they see it as the only alternative to the “Nationals.”
Based on everything said above, I believe that if this alliance truly materializes, it will become the most viable alternative to power in the last 12 years. Considering the importance of these elections, where the choice is essentially between Georgian statehood and Russian hopelessness, the emergence of such an alternative is of vital and existential significance.