**Opposition Parties Agree to Cooperate Ahead of Local Elections**
For the first time in a while, there’s some good news for the opposition parties in Georgia. Lelo/Strong Georgia and For Georgia have decided to put aside their differences and cooperate ahead of the upcoming local elections on October 4. This decision was made official with the signing of a memorandum on July 14.
According to Berdia Sichinava from For Georgia, the agreement is all about putting the interests of the citizens first. “We must exclude competition between us,” he said. “We will try to agree on common candidates for mayors.” The goal is to have non-partisan and neutral figures or joint party nominees. This approach will also be applied to majoritarian candidates.
Irakli Kupradze from Lelo/Strong Georgia echoed Sichinava’s sentiments, saying that the cooperation is a key demand made by citizens. He described the memorandum as a “compromised” document that reflects the people’s call for unity.
**A Break from the Norm**
It’s worth noting that most opposition parties have vowed to boycott the local elections, seeing participation as a betrayal of the resistance movement. However, Lelo and For Georgia are taking a different approach, believing they can challenge the ruling Georgian Dream in every possible arena. They think they have a chance to win in major cities, including Tbilisi, where support for the ruling party is relatively weaker.
**Salome Zurabishvili’s Stance**
Earlier this month, Salome Zurabishvili, Georgia’s fifth president and leader of the Citizens’ party, suggested the possibility of uniting the opposition around her as a potential mayoral candidate in Tbilisi. However, she also called for greater unity among opposition parties and an expanded protest movement through her Resistance Platform.
Zurabishvili has been critical of the local elections, saying they are “only a topic” planted by the Georgian Dream to divide the opposition. She believes there should be more focus on building a united front against the ruling party.
**The Road Ahead**
Lelo/Strong Georgia’s decision to run in the elections was met with resistance from some within their own ranks. Three members of the party’s political council resigned from leadership, although they remain party members. The leaders of Lelo, Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze, are currently jailed for refusing to testify before a Georgian Dream parliament commission.
For Georgia’s leader, Giorgi Gakharia, is also facing prosecution for his role in the Chorchana checkpoint case and the 2019 crackdown on the “Gavrilov’s Night” rally.
The future of these opposition parties and their cooperation ahead of the local elections remains uncertain. However, one thing is clear: this development marks a break from the norm and could potentially lead to more unity among opposition groups in the fight against the ruling Georgian Dream.
Read More @ civil.ge
