Lelo for Georgia () is a

centrist Centrism is a political outlook or position involving acceptance or support of a balance of social equality and a degree of social hierarchy while opposing political changes that would result in a significant shift of society strongly to the l ...

liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

political party in

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

that was created at the end of 2019 by businessmen

Mamuka Khazaradze Mamuka Khazaradze ( ka, მამუკა ხაზარაძე; born 29 December 1966) is a Georgian businessman who co-founded the largest Georgian universal bank, JSC TBC Bank in 1992. In 2019, he moved into politics, setting up a politi ...

and Badri Japaridze. The party has attracted a number of prominent political figures and parties (through mergers), including

David Usupashvili David Usupashvili ( ka, დავით უსუფაშვილი, ''Davit Usupašvili'') (born March 5, 1968) is a Georgian lawyer and politician who was the chairman of the Parliament of Georgia from 2012 to 2016. He served as the chairm ...

Development Movement The Development Movement ( ka, შენების მოძრაობა) was a political movement in Georgia. It was founded by former speaker of Parliament of Georgia David Usupashvili and former members of Republican Party of Georgia and N ...

, the

New Rights Party The New Rights Party (NRP) ( ka, ახალი მემარჯვენეები, ''Akhali Memarjveneebi''), also translated as New Conservative Party (NCP), was a political party in Georgia. It was an associate member of the Internation ...

and Pikria Chikhradze. It also has attracted a number of centre-left political figures, such as Grigol Gegelia.

Political ambitions

The party is seeking to contest the parliamentary elections in Georgia, scheduled for October 2020. The party says that it seeks to "defeat the bipolar system" that it sees as dominant in Georgia. They are close from the opposition alliance which has been formed during early 2020 in order to contest the

Georgian Dream Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia ( ka, ქართული ოცნება – დემოკრატიული საქართველო, ''Kartuli ocneba – Demok’rat’iuli Sakartvelo'') is a social democratic political ...

parliamentary majority.

Political views

Lelo for Georgia is a centrist and liberal party, which aims to transcend the dichotomy between the

and the United National Movement, thus putting to an end the bipolar system running in Georgia since 2012. The party is willing to strengthen the economy, encourage investments in Georgia and to enhance the daily life conditions of the population. The party supports the setting of a minimum wage, parental leave, and the setting of overtime pay rates but does not support the institution of unemployment insurance. They also claim to wish for the reestablishment of the "rule of law" and to make the judiciary power totally independent from the political class. This will is linked with the controversies linked to trials and arrests which are said to be "politically motivated", such as the case of Giorgi Ugulava. The two founders of the party,

and Badri Japaridze, were both under investigation for money laundering, which they claimed to be a politically motivated. The Embassy of the United States of America to Georgia observed on July 25, 2019, immediately after the criminal charge was brought against Khazaradze and Japaridze that they were ‘concerned about the context and timing of these charges’. The 2019

US Department of State The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an executive department of the U.S. federal government responsible for the country's foreign policy and relations. Equivalent to the ministry of foreign affairs of other ...

country report observed the fact that the criminal charges were brought against Khazaradze and Japaridze ‘just weeks after Khazaradze’s July 9 announcement of his intent to establish a civil movement’, also noting that ‘a group of 20 NGOs, including Transparency International/Georgia, the Open Society Fund Georgia, the Atlantic Council of Georgia, and the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, considered the charges against all three men to be politically motivated’. Moreover, the Ombudsperson of Georgia observed that “the case materials do not contain the elements necessary for assessing an action as a crime of money laundering.” In May 2020, Transparency International Georgia published a report prepared by the independent expert, Pauline David, which observed that there is no basis to claim that Khazaradze and Japaridze were involved in money laundering. David’s report explicitly states that: “After an assessment of Georgian and international laws, the Indictment, the facts in issue, and accepted international jurisprudence in money laundering cases, key findings are as follows: There is no evidence from which to infer an intention: to ‘legalise’ (launder) any funds obtained by way of loan; to conceal the ‘illegal origins’ of the loan funds; or to integrate those funds back into the legitimate economy.” The case was dismissed in 2022, as Khazaradze and Japaridze were acquitted of all charges of money laundering.

Origin of the founders

Prior to setting up the party, Khazaradze and some of his partners had set up a public movement in September 2019. Khazaradze is a co-founder of

TBC Bank , logo = TBC Bank logo.svg , logo_size = 100 , image = TBC Bank building.jpg , image_size = 250 , image_caption = TBC headquarters at Marjanishvili avenue, Tbilisi , type = Joint Stock Company , traded_as = , industry ...

and of the

Anaklia Anaklia () is a town and seaside resort in western Georgia. It is located in the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region, at the place where the Enguri River flows into the Black Sea, near the border with Abkhazia. History The earliest settlement on ...

Development Consortium. As of January 2020, the party's program is still under development. At the same time, the party has regularly criticized the government on various policies, including relations with Russia and large infrastructure projects.

Electoral performance

Parliamentary

Local

References

{{Georgian political parties 2019 establishments in Georgia (country) Centrist parties in Asia Centrist parties in Europe Classical liberal parties Liberal parties in Georgia (country) Political parties established in 2019 Political parties in Georgia (country) Pro-European political parties in Georgia (country)