Georgian Dream
Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia ქართული ოცნება – დემოკრატიული საქართველო | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Chairperson | Irakli Garibashvili |
| Founder | Bidzina Ivanishvili |
| Founded | April 21, 2012 |
| Headquarters | Tbilisi, Georgia |
| Ideology | Big tent[1] |
| Political position | Centre-left |
| European affiliation | Party of European Socialists (observer) |
| International affiliation | Progressive Alliance[2] |
| Colours | Blue, amber |
| Seats in Parliament |
82 / 150 |
| Website | |
|
41 | |
Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia (Georgian: ქართული ოცნება – დემოკრატიული საქართველო, K’art’uli ots’neba – demokratiuli Sak’art’velo) is a political party in Georgia. The party established on 19 April 2012 by the billionaire businessman and politician Bidzina Ivanishvili.[4] It is the leading party of the six party Georgian Dream political coalition which won the 2012 parliamentary election. The political party Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia currently has 48 seats in the Georgian Parliament. The Georgian Dream political coalition currently has 82 seats in the 150 seat Georgian parliament.[5]
History
The party evolved from the public movement Georgian Dream, launched by Ivanishvili as a platform for his political activities in December 2011. Since Ivanishvili was not a Georgian citizen at the moment of the party's inaugural session, the lawyer Manana Kobakhidze was elected as an interim, nominal chairman of the Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia. The party also includes several notable Georgians such as the politician Sozar Subari, former diplomat Tedo Japaridze, chess grandmaster Zurab Azmaiparashvili, security commentator Irakli Sesiashvili, writer Guram Odisharia and famed footballer Kakha Kaladze.[6][7]
The party successfully challenged the ruling United National Movement (UMN) in the 2012 parliamentary election.[6] It won this election in coalition with six other opposition parties, with 54.97% of the vote, winning 85 seats in parliament.[4] The governing UMN took 40.34%. President Mikheil Saakashvili conceded that his party lost, and pledged to support the constitutional process of forming a new government.[8]
Georgian Dream coalition
The Georgian Dream coalition, centered by Ivanishvili's Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia party, comprised initially six political parties of diverse ideological orientations.[9][10] It includes pro-market and pro-western liberals, as well as radical nationalists with xenophobic rhetoric, and former representatives of the Shevardnadze administration who were disempowered during the Rose Revolution of 2003.[11] The name of the alliance is inspired by a rap song by Ivanishvili's son Bera.[12][13]
Constituent parties
- Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia - 48 seats
- Republican Party of Georgia - 10 seats
- Conservative Party of Georgia - 6 seats
- Industry Will Save Georgia - 6 seats
- Independent Majoritarians - 12 seats
Former constituent party
- Our Georgia – Free Democrats - 8 seats (left the coalition and became an opposition party on 5 November 2014)
- National Forum - 6 seats (left the coalition after convention where majority of party members voted to leave on 3 April 2016)
Electoral performance
| Election | Leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Position | Government |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Bidzina Ivanishvili | 1,184,612 | 54.97 | 85 / 150 |
 85 |
1nd |
Majority |
References
- ↑ Ditrych, Ondrej (July 2013). "The Georgian succession" (PDF). European Union Institute for Security Studies. p. 4.
...GD as a catch-all movement...
- ↑ http://progressive-alliance.info/2810-2/
- ↑ Key Facts and Procedures on Govt No-Confidence Vote, Sought by UNM
- 1 2 Stephen Jones (2015). "Preface to the Paperback Edition". Georgia: A Political History Since Independence. I.B.Tauris. p. 11. ISBN 978-1-78453-085-3.
- ↑ http://www.civil.ge/eng/article.php?id=27807
- 1 2 Ivanishvili's Political Party Launched. Civil Georgia. 21 April 2012. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
- ↑ Shevchenko hangs up boots for politics, AFP (28 July 2012)
- ↑ Barry, Ellen (2012-10-02). "Georgia’s President Concedes Defeat in Parliamentary Election". Georgia (Georgian Republic): NYTimes.com. Retrieved 2012-12-07.
- ↑ "Georgia’s election: Pain and grief in Georgia", The Economist, 29 September 2012
- ↑ de Waal, Thomas (11 September 2012), A Crucial Election in Georgia, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
- ↑ de Waal, Thomas (26 September 2012), "Georgia Holds Its Breath", Foreign Policy
- ↑ "Topic Galleries". baltimoresun.com. Retrieved 2012-12-07.
- ↑ "Georgia On Brink: Odd Parliamentary Election Leads To Angst Over Results". Ibtimes.com. Retrieved 2012-12-07.
External links
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