Georgia to name new government next week

The new composition of the Georgian government should be approved next week, the speaker of the Georgian parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, has said, Caliber.Az reports citing Georgian media.

Garibashvili announced his resignation and imminent appointment as leader of the Georgian Dream on January 29. He told a briefing that "there are many successful leaders in the team, and it is necessary to give others a chance". Bidzina Ivanishvili, the billionaire founder and honorary chairman of the ruling party, who returned to politics on December 30, 2023, will present the candidacy of the new prime minister.

"The consideration will be spread over several days. Our goal next week is to approve the composition of the government. We're also going to hear Salome Zourabichvili speak, because, according to the rules, her speech will fall on the first day of the Spring Session. All of these processes are going to be completed next week," Papuashvili said.

According to the Georgian constitution, the powers of the prime minister cease immediately upon his resignation and the government continues to carry out its duties until a new prime minister is appointed. The first deputy prime minister assumes the duties of head of government.

All the country's ministers have become caretaker ministers. Parliament now has two weeks to give a vote of confidence to the new prime minister and the government he has presented.

At least 76 MPs need to support the government to be censured.

The party that obtained the best result in the elections, i.e. Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia, presents the candidate for prime minister and the composition of the cabinet. The president has the right to dissolve Parliament and call new elections if the prime minister's candidacy fails to receive 76 votes twice.

The candidacy of Georgia's new prime minister will be presented at the ruling Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party congress on February 1. Deputy Speaker Archil Talakvadze confirmed the day before that the party was considering Georgian Dream leader Irakli Kobakhidze's candidacy.

Garibashvili was prime minister twice, in 2021-2024 and 2013-2015. He was billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili's right-hand man when he founded Georgian Dream, which has been the country's ruling party since 2012.

As for Kobakhidze, he is 46 years old. He has been the leader of the Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party since January 2021. Before that, he was the executive secretary of the ruling team.