Girchi – More Freedom

For the party of which Girchi-MF is a splinter of, see New Political Center — Girchi.
Girchi — More Freedom
გირჩი — მეტი თავისუფლება
AbbreviationGirchi–MF
ChairmanZurab Japaridze
FounderZurab Japaridze
Founded28 December 2020
Registered19 February 2021
Split fromNew Political Center – Girchi
HeadquartersTbilisi
Ideology
Political positionRight-wing[4][5]
National affiliationGirchi-MF/Droa (2023–2024)
Coalition for Change (since 2024)
European affiliationAlliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party[8]
International affiliationLiberal International (observer)
Colors  Green
Parliament
3 / 150
Seats in Tbilisi City Assembly
1 / 50
Party flag
Website
girchi.org

Girchi — More Freedom (Georgian: გირჩი — მეტი თავისუფლება, romanized: girchi — met'i tavisupleba, lit. 'Pine cone — More Freedom') is a pro-Western libertarian political party in Georgia. It was in late 2020 founded by Zurab Japaridze, former leader of the New Political Center – Girchi, following the party split. The party was a part of Coalition for Change electoral alliance for the 2024 parliamentary election, receiving 3 seats in the Georgian parliament.

History

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Political context

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Zurab Japaridze in 2018

The origins of Girchi date back to 2015 when four dissenting MPs from United National Movement, including Zurab Japaridze, left the party.[9] In 2016 Girchi was registered as a political party and it subsequently took part in the 2020 parliamentary election winning 4 seats.[10][11] However, claiming electoral fraud, Girchi refused to recognize the results and joined the boycott of the parliament.[12]

On 4 December Japaridze announced his departure from the party in a move that Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty referred to as "unsurprising".[13] Many observers linked Japaridze's exit to controversial comments made by party chairman Khvichia against the criminal prosecution of a man for the possession of child pornography, although Japaridze denied those comments as the cause of the party's split.[14][15]

Extra-parliamentary opposition

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On 28 December 2020, Japaridze established Girchi - More Freedom.[16] It was officially registered on 19 February 2021.[10] The newly formed party kept up boycotting the parliament and demanded the holding of snap elections.[17] Per Japaridze's request his mandate was eventually revoked.[18]

Ahead of the 2021 local elections, Girchi - More Freedom, along with 3 other opposition parties (United National Movement, European Georgia, Droa), named joint candidates in Tbilisi. Girchi - More Freedom ran candidates in Mtatsminda District, Saburtalo District, Didube District, and Nadzaladevi District.[19] In the election, the party received 1.44% of the votes (25,467 votes) and crossed the 2.5% threshold only in the Tbilisi City Assembly, where it won one seat.[20]

In late 2021, Girchi-MF joined protests against what they saw as rigged elections. In one of the protests, the party members parked cars in front of the entrance of the State Security Service buildings all over the country with the cars having to be towed away with the politicians still inside them. Japaridze was arrested but was let go with a GEL 200 fine.[5]

On 24 February 2023, on one-year anniversary of Russian invasion of Ukraine, Girchi - MF, along with two other opposition parties Droa and Strategy Aghmashenebeli, organized a rally in support of Ukraine protesting against what they saw as a lackluster response by the government to the war.[21][22]

Zurab Japaridze with his supporters during the 'Foreign Agent' law protests

In March 2023, Girchi-MF joined protests against the proposed 'Foreign Agent' bill. Japaridze was arrested and fined GEL 2,500 for engaging in petty hooliganism.[23] The bill was withdrawn due to the protests, however, it was reintroduced a year later, with the party also joining the second round of protests.[24] In May 2024, Japaridze was twice ambushed by masked men near the party office. He fired a warning shot leading to the ambushers fleeing the scene. Two days prior to the incident, Japaridze’s brother Gia Japaridze was ambushed and beaten while on his way home.[25]

2024 parliamentary election

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On 28 November 2023, Girchi-MF, along with Droa, launched the "Ballot Box in Your City" project with the aim of opening polling stations abroad in cities where a Georgian consulate is not located.[26] For a polling station to be opened it requires a request by at least 50 Georgian citizens.[27] The two parties have subsequently criticized Central Election Commission for what they see as an insufficient response to the issue of emigrants voting from abroad.[28]

On 6 September 2023, Girchi-MF created an alliance with the liberal Droa party.[29] The two parties then further joined Coalition for Change alliance ahead of the 2024 parliamentary election.[30] Girchi-MF is a signatory to the Georgian Charter initiated by President Salome Zourabichvili.[31]

Ideology

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Girchi - More Freedom is widely regarded as a libertarian or right-libertarian party.[1][2][3][4][5] It has additionally been described as liberal or classical liberal.[1][2][7] The party’s foreign policy is viewed as being pro-Western, pro-European, and Atlanticist.[1][2][32][33]

The platform of Girchi-MF advocates for political and administrative decentralization, elected judiciary and police chiefs, drug liberalization, abolishing military conscription, and doubling the military budget. On economic issues, Girchi — More Freedom supports a free market economy, tax cuts, deregulation, and the abolition of the National Bank of Georgia.[34]

International affiliation

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On 2 June 2022, Girchi - More Freedom became an associate member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.[35] On June 22, 2024, the party became a full member.[36]

Electoral results

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Parliamentary election

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Election Leader Votes % Seats +/– Position Government Coalition
2024 Zurab Japaridze 229,161 11.03
3 / 150
 New 2nd Opposition Coalition for Change

Local elections

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Election Votes % Seats +/–
2021 25 467 1.44
1 / 2,068
 New

Tbilisi city assembly election results

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Election Votes % Seats +/–
2021 15 799 3.30
1 / 50
 New

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Parties, Parliaments and Polling Averages: Georgia". Europe Elects.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Girchi-More Freedom". aldeparty.eu.
  3. ^ a b "Georgia: How to Bake an Indigestible Democracy". Cepa.org. 2 December 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2022.
  4. ^ a b c Sergi Kapanadze (3 December 2023). "Anti-Western Propaganda – The Georgian Dream's All-purpose Fix". Politics Geo.
  5. ^ a b c d "TenDetained after Girchi Blocks Security Service Buildings". Civil Georgia. 12 November 2021.
  6. ^ [1][2][3][4][5]
  7. ^ a b "Georgian Dream names opposition parties they intend to ban". OC Media. 23 August 2024.
  8. ^ "ALDE Member Parties". aldeparty.eu.
  9. ^ "Parliament Approves 2016 State Budget". Civil Georgia. 11 December 2015.
  10. ^ a b "პოლიტიკური პარტიების რეესტრი". National Agency of Public Registry of Ministry of Justice of Georgia.
  11. ^ Jelger Groeneveld (1 December 2022). "2020 Elections Parliament of Georgia". East Watch.
  12. ^ "ARCHIVED: Georgia's October 31, 2020 Parliamentary Election Live Blog". Civil Georgia. 30 November 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  13. ^ Mandaria, Tornike (8 December 2020). "როგორ გაიხლიჩა "გირჩი"" [How Girchi was split]. Radio Tavisupleba (in Georgian). Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  14. ^ "The Dispatch – December 7". Civil Georgia. 8 December 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  15. ^ Kincha, Shota (14 December 2020). "Girchi faces split following child porn scandal". OC Media. Retrieved 16 March 2023.
  16. ^ "Former Girchi Leader Launches New Girchi Party". Civil Georgia. 28 December 2020.
  17. ^ "Boycotting Opposition Parties Call on GD to Resume Talks". Civil Georgia. 26 January 2021.
  18. ^ "Parliament Terminates Two Opposition MPs' Mandates, per Their Request". Civil Georgia. 17 November 2021.
  19. ^ "Four Opposition Parties Name Joint Tbilisi Majoritarian Candidates". Civil Georgia. 17 August 2021.
  20. ^ "Municipality elections of October 2, 2021". Cesko (in Georgian). Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  21. ^ "The Daily Beat: 23 February". Civil Georgia. 24 February 2023.
  22. ^ "The Daily Beat: 24 February – Slava Ukraini!". Civil Georgia. 25 February 2023.
  23. ^ "Court Fines Zurab Japaridze GEL 2,500 for March 8 Rally". Civil Georgia. 28 June 2023.
  24. ^ George Paniashvili (19 April 2024). "The Daily Beat: 18 April". Civil Georgia.
  25. ^ George Paniashvili (11 May 2024). "The Daily Beat: 10 May". Civil Georgia.
  26. ^ "Politicians Want to Bring More Georgians Abroad to Ballot Boxes in 2024". Civil Georgia. 28 November 2023.
  27. ^ "CEC Reacts to "Ballot box in your city" Campaign". Civil Georgia. 20 December 2023.
  28. ^ "The Daily Beat: 17 January". Civil Georgia. 18 January 2024.
  29. ^ ""Girchi – More Freedom" and "Droa" in Electoral Alliance". Civil Georgia. 6 September 2023.
  30. ^ "Name change for 'Akhali' party: "Coalition for Change – Gvaramia, Melia, Girchi, Droa"". Georgia Today. 5 August 2024.
  31. ^ "Opposition Parties Sign Georgian Charter". Civil Georgia. 3 June 2024.
  32. ^ "Pro-Western Opposition Parties: "Georgia Faces International Isolation"". Civil Georgia. 12 May 2023.
  33. ^ Nino Narimanishvili (13 July 2024). "Four months before elections, Georgia's opposition is still unprepared. Do they have enough time?". JAM News.
  34. ^ "რძე და ყველი" (in Georgian). Archived from the original on 17 August 2023. Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  35. ^ "Lelo, Girchi More Freedom Join ALDE". Civil Georgia. 6 June 2022.
  36. ^ "Liberals welcome new member in Vilnius". aldeparty.eu. 22 June 2024.
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