For Georgia

Gakharia For Georgia (Georgian: გახარია საქართველოსთვის, romanized: gakharia sakartvelostvis) is a political party in Georgia founded by former Georgian Prime Minister from the Georgian Dream party Giorgi Gakharia. It is currently in opposition with it having 11 MPs in the Georgian parliament.

For Georgia საქართველოსთვის
Leader	Giorgi Gakharia
Founded	29 May 2021
Registered	21 June 2021
Split from	Georgian Dream
Headquarters	4 Dimitri Uznadze Street, Tbilisi
Ideology	Social democracy Technocracy Pro-Europeanism
Political position	Centre to centre-left
Colors	Purple   Blackcurrant   Cyan
Seats In Parliament	11 / 150
Municipal Councilors	107 / 2,068
Seats In Tbilisi City Assembly	3 / 50
Website
forgeo.ge
Politics of Georgia Political parties Elections

History

Foundation

Giorgi Gakharia with the For Georgia team

Giorgi Gakharia, a Prime Minister from the ruling Georgian Dream party, announced his resignation in February 2021, citing his opposition to the court-ordered arrest of his political rival United National Movement leader Nika Melia on charges of organizing violence in the 2019 protests. He then announced that he no longer agreed with the positions of the Georgian Dream party and his departure. Several MPs from Georgian Dream joined him to form the For Georgia party. The MPs included Giorgi Khojevanishvili, Beka Liluashvili, Ana Buchukuri, Alexander Motserelia, Shalva Kereselidze and Mikheil Daushvili. The party presentation was held on 29 May 2021. For Georgia was soon joined by multiple local councillors from several municipalities.

2021 Georgian local elections

The party participated in the 2021 local elections coming in third place, behind GD and UNM, getting a nationwide vote share of 7.81%. Gakharia also came in third place in the 2021 Tbilisi mayoral election getting 9.41% of the vote. Gakharia refused to endorse either Melia or the incumbent from GD Kakha Kaladze in the second round. It subsequently managed to form coalition governments in four municipalities with the United National Movement and Lelo for Georgia opposition parties.

2024 Georgian parliamentary elections

The party supported the widespread protests against the controversial 'foreign agent' bill in 2023 and once again in 2024 after its reintroduction and passage. Ahead of the 2024 parliamentary election, For Georgia, by the initiative of the President Salome Zourabichvili, tried to forge a coalition with Lelo's Strong Georgia bloc. On 20 September, For Georgia pulled out of the talks citing irreconcilable differences. Gakharia however thanked the president and Strong Georgia's leader Mamuka Khazaradze for the attempt and pledged future cooperation. For Georgia subsequently announced that Zviad Dzidziguri, the chairman of the Conservative Party, would be running on its electoral list. It also signed the president's initiative Georgian Charter that set out goals for a possible interim coalition government involving For Georgia, Strong Georgia, Unity – National Movement and Coalition for Change in case of their victory in the election for the purpose of ensuring the transition of power from the ruling Georgian Dream party and holding a snap parliamentary election afterwards. However, the For Georgia party also positioned itself as an alternative to both Georgian Dream and National Movement, two largest parties in Georgia at that time, pledging to not form coalition government with any of it in the future. Nevertheless, the For Georgia and other opposition parties lost due to alleged fraud in the 2024 Georgian parliamentary election, with For Georgia receiving 8% of the vote, finishing on 5th place and becoming 4th largest opposition coalition in the government.

Ideology

For Georgia describes itself as a social democratic and progressive party. It is usually placed on the centre to centre-left of the political spectrum. Its ideology has been described as being based on social liberalism, anti-corruption, reformism, and technocracy with its foreign policy being pro-European. Gakharia himself has been described as a liberal politician.

The party's economic policy is based on free market principles, while additionally pledging to create a social protection system that will provide basic social services for the most vulnerable groups of the population. It seeks to strengthen rule of law and checks and balances, reform education system to create competitive human capital, reduce bureaucracy and centralization, take active measures against corruption and influence of interest groups on government agencies, and further integration of Georgia into European Union and NATO. During the 2024 parliamentary election campaign, the party has promised to increase the minimum wage from the nominal 50 lari to 950 lari, introduce 6-month unemployment benefits, and tying the increase of pensions with that of the economy.

In April 2024, the party voiced its support for "ruling party's aspirations to protect family values". In June 2024, despite not attending the discussions in the Parliament of Georgia on the proposed bill to outlaw the "LGBT propaganda" in the country and being accused by the ruling Georgian Dream party of "supporting the LGBT propaganda", the MP Mikheil Daushvili said that the party opposes "propaganda directed at children, especially LGBT propaganda". However, the party considers the ban on LGBT propaganda to be an insufficient measure to encourage the family values, with the MP Shalva Kereselidze saying that the party requires "higher support from the state for the enhancement of the Georgian families", such as more state support for the regions in which the demographic situation is declining due to economic problems.

Electoral performance

Parliamentary election

Election	Leader	Votes	%	Seats	/–	Position	Government
2024	Giorgi Gakharia	161,521	7.78	11 / 150	New	5th	Opposition

Local elections

Election	Votes	%	Seats	/–
2021	137 644	7.8	115 / 2,068	New

Seats in municipal assemblies

Municipal Council	Votes	%	Seats	Status
Tbilisi	42,596	8.89 (#3)	4 / 50	Opposition
Gurjaani	1,246	4.47 (#3)	1 / 39	Opposition
Sighnaghi	631	3.90 (#3)	1 / 36	Opposition
Lagodekhi	582	3.09 (#4)	1 / 30	Opposition
Kvareli	909	5.54 (#3)	1 / 27	Opposition
Telavi	1,569	5.27 (#3)	1 / 39	Opposition
Akhmeta	445	3.07 (#3)	1 / 30	Opposition
Tianeti	448	7.17 (#4)	1 / 21	Opposition
Rustavi	3,732	7.44 (#3)	3 / 35	FG-UNM-Lelo
Tsalka	520	5.92 (#3)	1 / 30	Opposition
Tetritskaro	444	4.45 (#3)	1 / 36	Opposition
Mtskheta	1,297	5.26 (#3)	1 / 27	Opposition
Dusheti	1,164	9.58 (#3)	2 / 33	Opposition
Kazbegi	161	4.59 (#4)	1 / 18	Opposition
Kaspi	1,508	7.67 (#3)	1 / 30	Opposition
Gori	5,744	10.26 (#3)	3 / 37	Opposition
Kareli	1,435	7.58 (#3)	1 / 27	Opposition
Khashuri	2,585	10.63 (#3)	2 / 27	Opposition
Borjomi	528	3.75 (#4)	1 / 33	Opposition
Akhaltsikhe	1,274	6.44 (#3)	2 / 39	Opposition
Ninotsminda	523	4.84 (#3)	1 / 30	Opposition
Oni	777	18.05 (#2)	4 / 33	Opposition
Ambrolauri	1,011	13.21 (#3)	3 / 30	Opposition
Tsageri	907	13.62 (#3)	4 / 30	Opposition
Mestia	400	7.35 (#3)	2 / 33	Opposition
Kharagauli	840	6.85 (#3)	2 / 33	Opposition
Terjola	1,053	5.37 (#4)	1 / 30	Opposition
Sachkhere	1,171	4.93 (#3)	1 / 33	Opposition
Zestaponi	2,131	7.37 (#3)	2 / 39	Opposition
Baghdati	621	5.19 (#3)	1 / 27	Opposition
Samtredia	926	3.99 (#3)	1 / 33	Opposition
Khoni	664	4.98 (#4)	1 / 30	Opposition
Chiatura	1,558	7.64 (#3)	2 / 36	Opposition
Tkibuli	560	4.88 (#3)	1 / 27	Opposition
Tskaltubo	1,057	4.21 (#3)	1 / 39	Opposition
Kutaisi	4,448	6.71 (#3)	2 / 35	Opposition
Ozurgeti	3,228	9.29 (#3)	4 / 30	Opposition
Lanchkhuti	1,483	9.17 (#3)	2 / 27	Opposition
Chokhatauri	1,250	11.28 (#3)	3 / 36	Opposition
Abasha	1,045	8.27 (#3)	2 / 30	Opposition
Senaki	3,296	15.56 (#3)	4 / 33	Opposition
Martvili	3,355	17.10 (#3)	5 / 36	Opposition
Khobi	2,179	14.08 (#3)	4 / 36	Opposition
Zugdidi	5,524	10.74 (#3)	3 / 45	FG-Ahali-UNM
Tsalenjikha	2,730	18.97 (#3)	3 / 27	FG-UNM-Lelo
Chkhorotsku	2,987	23.19 (#3)	7 / 27	FG-UNM-Lelo
Poti	2,720	13.19 (#3)	4 / 35	Opposition
Batumi	7,587	10.03 (#3)	3 / 35	Opposition
Keda	736	6.68 (#3)	1 / 21	Opposition
Kobuleti	2,777	7.43 (#3)	2 / 39	Opposition
Shuakhevi	757	7.77 (#3)	1 / 21	Opposition
Khelvachauri	3,830	15.08 (#3)	2 / 24	Opposition
Khulo	938	6.42 (#3)	2 / 24	Opposition

External links

• Party Official site Archived 2021-06-26 at the Wayback Machine