**Georgia’s Ruling Party Takes Aim at Opposition**
In a move seen as an attempt to silence the opposition, Georgia’s Central Election Commission (CEC) has stripped the National Movement and the Coalition for Change of their electoral numbers. The decision was met with outrage from the opposition parties, who claim it is a deliberate effort by the ruling party to suppress dissent.
Irakli Pavlenishvili, one of the leaders of the United National Movement, called the CEC’s decision “inadequate” and said that focusing on electoral numbers is irrelevant as long as elections are canceled in Georgia. He expressed confidence that when democracy returns to the country, the majority of the population will support the National Movement.
Pavlenishvili stressed that his party will not give up its identity or electoral number, 5, which it had held since the 2024 parliamentary elections. “The fact that Ivanishvili’s gang is doing things arbitrarily and not based on Georgian legislation does not mean that we are going to give up being the National Movement, the number 5 and our identity,” he said.
**A Clear Message from the Ruling Party**
The decision by the CEC sends a clear message: opposition parties will be silenced. The ruling party’s tactics have been criticized by many as an attempt to suppress dissent and maintain its grip on power. By stripping the National Movement of its electoral number, the government is making it difficult for the party to campaign and participate in future elections.
Pavlenishvili’s statement that the majority of the Georgian population will support the National Movement when democracy returns to the country suggests that the opposition is confident in its ability to win public support. However, with the ruling party controlling key institutions, such as the CEC, it remains to be seen how effective the opposition can be.
**What Next for Georgia’s Opposition?**
As tensions between the government and the opposition continue to rise, many are wondering what this means for Georgia’s democracy. The decision by the CEC has been met with criticism from international organizations and human rights groups, who have called on the government to respect the rights of all citizens.
For now, it seems that the ruling party will stop at nothing to maintain its grip on power. However, as Pavlenishvili noted, “When democracy returns to Georgia, when the political process returns to this country, the number 5 will definitely return as the number of the National Movement.”
