Georgian Dream set for leadership vote as local elections near

The ruling Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia party is set to elect a new chairman at its upcoming congress on May 7, following the announcement by Irakli Garibashvili that he is stepping down from politics, a position he had held since February 2024.

Garibashvili’s resignation has left the party leadership position vacant, prompting the party to convene the congress where the election for the new chairman will take place, Caliber.Az reports via Georgian media.

In addition to electing the new party leader, the congress will also unveil the updated composition of the party's political council.

This leadership change comes just ahead of the significant local government elections, scheduled for October 4, where citizens across the country will vote for their local leadership in the largest electoral process of its kind. The elections will allow residents of all cities and districts to select their respective local officials individually, making the outcome highly significant for the political landscape in Georgia.

The congress of the ruling Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia party is scheduled to take place ahead of the local government elections on October 4. These elections are the largest in the country, during which residents of all cities and districts will individually elect their local leaders.

For proportional representation in all deliberative bodies of the sakrebulo, a threshold of 4 per cent has been established.

By Vafa Guliyeva