MP Giorgi Sharashidze: Banning political parties is inherently undemocratic; only voters can ban a party at the ballot box

“The United National Movement represents an absolute red line for us, and given their extensive criminal record, we do not consider Mikheil Saakashvili a political prisoner. However, a political party must be banned by the electorate when citizens go to the polls and withhold their votes. That is the ultimate verdict for any party; no judgment is more damning. Consequently, banning any political party is a fundamentally undemocratic decision,” stated MP Giorgi Sharashidze, member of the Gakharia For Georgia party.

Sharashidze noted that Georgian Dream’s decision to include Gakharia For Georgia in its constitutional lawsuit came as no surprise, as such measures are characteristic of autocratic regimes.

“As for our political party, there are claims that they are somehow ‘preserving’ our parliamentary mandates for us. With all due respect, our political force was not founded merely to secure a handful of seats in a single parliament. We pursue long-term objectives and a distinct, independent political trajectory.

Our ultimate objective is not merely sitting in parliament, but ousting Georgian Dream’s abusive and criminal regime through democratic elections. If Georgian Dream seeks to strip us of this mechanism because they lack the capacity for political opposition, unable to tolerate even a single opposition party despite holding a commanding majority, that speaks for itself, and the public sees it clearly.

Regrettably, the autocracy constructed by Georgian Dream is manifesting across every domain. This was no particular surprise to us, as we recognise that such actions are commonplace within autocratic regimes. We remain a pragmatic, responsible political force. We face reality head-on, and therefore this outcome was entirely expected,” Giorgi Sharashidze concluded.

Georgian Dream is seeking the formal ban of Gakharia For Georgia through an expanded constitutional lawsuit. The ruling party has already submitted a constitutional claim requesting that the activities of the United National Movement, Coalition for Change, Strong Georgia – Lelo, and the Federalists be declared unconstitutional and banned.