Movement for Liberty - European Georgia

European Georgia - Movement for Liberty
ევროპული საქართველო - მოძრაობა თავისუფლებისთვის
Chairman Davit Bakradze
Secretary-General Gigi Ugulava
Founded January 2017 (2017-01)
Split from UNM
Headquarters Tbilisi, Gulia Str. 1
Ideology Liberal conservatism
Pro-Europeanism
Political position Centre-right
European affiliation European People's Party
International affiliation Centrist Democrat International
Colours      Blue and      Red
Seats in Parliament
20 / 150
Website
http://europeangeorgia.ge

European Georgia (Georgian: ევროპული საქართველო, evropuli sakartvelo) is a political party in Georgia founded in Tbilisi in January 2017, primarily by prominent former members of the United National Movement. The party is chaired by Davit Bakradze.[1]

History

The party holds seats in the Parliament of Georgia as a result of the 2016 parliamentary election, in which its members ran as part of the opposition United National Movement (UNM). After an internal disagreement, a significant part of the UNM parliamentary caucus and leadership (including Giga Bokeria, Sergi Kapanadze and Elene Khoshtaria) broke away.[2] The breakaway entity took the largely unknown legal vehicle of a previous party whose leadership included Nugzar Tsereteli's own son, Gigi Tsereteli, and had previously run in coalition with the UNM. The breakaway faction in the Parliament initially renamed itself to European Georgia, before choosing the name of Movement for Liberty-European Georgia during a presentation by Davit Bakradze on January 30, 2017. On the same date party leader Gigi Ugulava was named interim secretary general, in place until a party conference could be held.[3][4]

The party held its first convention on May 27, during which they elected Bakradze as chairman of the party, Ugulava as secretary-general, and approved the party's name as European Georgia - Movement for Liberty.[5]

Founding Congress, May 27, 2017

Ideology

The party shares much with the UNM's liberal conservatism, with the main difference between the two being their approach to politics. Among other things, European Georgia has a stronger commitment to contesting rather than boycotting elections.[2] In an interview with the online news website Netgazeti, Giorgi Ugulava distinguished the Movement for Liberty as being more liberal than the UNM, specifically describing the UNM as populist and communitarian.[6]

References

  1. ↑ "UNM's Parliamentary Faction Changes its Head, Name". Civil Georgia. 13 January 2017. Retrieved 14 January 2017.
  2. 1 2 Civil.ge (January 12, 2017). "United National Movement Splits". Civil.ge. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  3. ↑ Civil.ge (January 30, 2017). "Former UNM Members Unveil Political Plans, Change Party Name". Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  4. ↑ http://civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=29818
  5. ↑ "European Georgia Selects Chairman, Secretary General, and Political Council Chair at Convention". Tabula. 27 May 2017. Retrieved 28 May 2017.
  6. ↑ http://civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=29831
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