Georgia’s former ruling party nears breakdown, MP says

Georgian MP Guram Macharashvili from the People’s Power party stated that the United National Movement, Georgia’s former ruling party, is effectively nearing the end of its existence, adding that the question of who will lead it no longer carries real significance.

Citing information from the Imedi television channel, reports indicate that the United National Movement is experiencing a deep internal rift, and its party chair is likely to be replaced in the near future. According to the channel, Mikheil Saakashvili, the party’s founder, has decided to remove Tina Bokuchava from the leadership role, with Levan Sanikidze expected to take over the position.

“We understand very well what processes are taking place in the ‘National Movement’… At this stage, determining who will become the captain of this ‘sinking ship’ does not matter. I can guarantee one thing: my candidacy will certainly not be under consideration. Everything else is of no concern to us or to the rest of Georgia,” Macharashvili said.

He argued that the radical opposition “never had a plan, never had unity, and never will,” adding that even its so-called leaders acknowledge this. Macharashvili further claimed that the opposition lacks both the resources and the public standing required to unite.

“They themselves declare that their political activity has come to an end. This is why they are left with only a minimal number of supporters, a consequence of their anti-Georgian policies. Their motto—‘the worse things are for Georgia, the better for the National Movement’—is still alive. That is precisely why their rating in the country is zero,” he noted.

Until 2024, the United National Movement remained Georgia’s second-largest political force. Although it suffered defeats in three consecutive parliamentary elections, the party continued to retain resources and a voter base.

During this period, several splinter groups formed their own political entities, which the ruling party refers to as the “collective National Movement” and the “radical opposition.”

Today, the United National Movement, along with the Coalition for Change and Strong Georgia – Lelo, faces the prospect of complete dissolution. On November 4, 2025, the Constitutional Court of Georgia accepted a petition filed by 88 members of parliament seeking to declare these three major opposition parties unconstitutional and dissolve them.

By Tamilla Hasanova