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Free Democrats ( ka, თავისუფალი დემოკრატები, tr), previously known as Our Georgia – Free Democrats is a liberal and
pro-Western The Western world, also known as the West, primarily refers to various nations and state (polity), states in Western Europe, Northern America, and Australasia; with some debate as to whether those in Eastern Europe and Latin America also const ...
political party A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular area's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific political ideology, ...
in
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
. It was founded by
Irakli Alasania Irakli Alasania ( ka, ირაკლი ალასანია) (born 21 December 1973) is a Georgian politician, soldier and former diplomat who served as the Minister of Defense of Georgia from 2012 to 2014. He was Georgia's Ambassador to t ...
, Georgia's former envoy to the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
, on 16 July 2009. Tamar Kekenadze serves as the party's current chairman. The party was formed in opposition to the government led by
Mikheil Saakashvili Mikheil "Misha" Saakashvili (born 21 December 1967) is a Georgian and Ukrainian politician and jurist. He was the third president of Georgia for two consecutive terms from 25 January 2004 to 17 November 2013. He is the founder and former chair ...
and his
United National Movement United National Movement (UNM; ka, ერთიანი ნაციონალური მოძრაობა, tr) also colloquially known as the Natsebi is a liberal conservative political party in Georgia. Tina Bokuchava serves as the p ...
(UNM) party. From 2012 to 2014 it was a part of the
Georgian Dream coalition Georgian Dream ( ka, ქართული ოცნება, tr) was a Big tent, catch-all political alliance in Georgia (country), Georgia formed around Georgian Dream, Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia (GD – DG) party in opposition to ...
that unseated the UNM government from power. In
2016 2016 was designated as: * International Year of Pulses by the sixty-eighth session of the United Nations General Assembly. * International Year of Global Understanding (IYGU) by the International Council for Science (ICSU), the Internationa ...
it ran independently of the coalition barely missing the 5% threshold needed to enter the parliament. Ever since the party has been in the extraparliamentary opposition.


History


The opposition

Irakli Alasania Irakli Alasania ( ka, ირაკლი ალასანია) (born 21 December 1973) is a Georgian politician, soldier and former diplomat who served as the Minister of Defense of Georgia from 2012 to 2014. He was Georgia's Ambassador to t ...
, Georgia's former envoy to the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
, went into opposition to the UNM government led by Saakashvili in December 2008. On 23 February 2009 Alasania, along with New Rights and Republican Parties, announced the formation of a political coalition Alliance for Georgia with Alasania being named the chairman. Alasania established his own party Our Georgia – Free Democrats on 16 July 2009. Alliance for Georgia was part of the
2009 protests 9 (nine) is the natural number following and preceding . Evolution of the Hindu–Arabic digit Circa 300 BC, as part of the Brahmi numerals, various Indians wrote a digit 9 similar in shape to the modern closing question mark without the bot ...
that called for Saakashvili's resignation and early presidential elections. In the 2010 local elections Alliance for Georgia came in third place receiving 9.19% of the vote. In addition, Alasania ran for the Tbilisi mayoral election receiving 19.05% and coming in second place after the incumbent mayor
Gigi Ugulava Giorgi "Gigi" Ugulava ( ka, გიგი უგულავა) (born August 15, 1975) is a Georgian politician and the former Mayor of Tbilisi (2005–2013). He was one of the former leaders of the United National Movement (UNM) party and for ...
from UNM. In October 2010, OG - FD joined the Group of Eight parliamentary alliance with seven other opposition parties. It included Christian-Democratic Movement (CDM), New Rights (NR), National Forum (NF), Conservative Party (CP), Republican Party (RP), Georgia's Way (GW), and People's Party (PP). The goal of the coalition was to unify the opposition over issues related to electoral reform. The grouping fell apart when two of the opposition parties (CDM and NR) split with the rest of the coalition and made a deal with the ruling UNM party over electoral reform. The 6 parties that didn't sign the agreement tried forming a coalition that collapsed in less than 3 months due to differences in tactics. On 21 February 2012
Georgian Dream coalition Georgian Dream ( ka, ქართული ოცნება, tr) was a Big tent, catch-all political alliance in Georgia (country), Georgia formed around Georgian Dream, Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia (GD – DG) party in opposition to ...
was established by billionaire businessman and oligarch
Bidzina Ivanishvili Bidzina Ivanishvili (; born 18 February 1956), also known as Boris Grigoryevich Ivanishvili, is a French-Georgian businessman, politician and billionaire oligarch. He is founder and the leader of the ruling Georgian Dream party and has ruled G ...
led by the political party also named
Georgian Dream Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia (GD), also colloquially known as the Kotsebi, is a Conservatism, conservative and populism, populist List of political parties in Georgia (country), political party in Georgia (country), Georgia, which has ...
. Free Democrats were one of the parties to join the coalition. Georgian Dream attracted massive rallies since the formation of the coalition. The coalition's campaign surged after the Gldani prison scandal highlighted widespread torture in Georgian prisons under Saakashvili's administration. The coalition successfully challenged the ruling UNM party in the 2012 parliamentary election.Ivanishvili's Political Party Launched
Civil Georgia. 21 April 2012. Retrieved 12 May 2012.
It won this election with 54.97% of the vote, gaining 85 seats in parliament. Out of the 85 seats, Free Democrats were allocated 11. In
Tbilisi Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი, ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), ( ka, ტფილისი, tr ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Georgia (country), largest city of Georgia ( ...
Widespread celebrations were held in support of Georgian Dream. The next day, Saakashvili accepted the results as legitimate, while at the same time noting that he remained deeply opposed to the coalition. Saakashvili pledged to support the constitutional process of forming a new government and peaceful transfer of power.


Government

OG-FD created the "Georgian Dream-Free Democrats" faction. On 25 October Ivanishvili was voted in as the country's new prime minister, with 88 votes in favor to 54 against. The most ministries in the 21-member cabinet went to the Georgian Dream party, while the Free Democrats party was represented in the government by four ministers: Tea Tsulukiani as the Minister of Justice,
Irakli Alasania Irakli Alasania ( ka, ირაკლი ალასანია) (born 21 December 1973) is a Georgian politician, soldier and former diplomat who served as the Minister of Defense of Georgia from 2012 to 2014. He was Georgia's Ambassador to t ...
as the Minister of Defense and Vice Premier, Alexi Petriashvili as the State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, and Kote Surguladze as the State Minister on the Diaspora Issues. The new government maintained the
free market In economics, a free market is an economic market (economics), system in which the prices of goods and services are determined by supply and demand expressed by sellers and buyers. Such markets, as modeled, operate without the intervention of ...
economic model set up under the previous administration, while also establishing a functional
social safety net A social safety net (SSN) consists of non-contributory assistance existing to improve lives of vulnerable families and individuals experiencing poverty and destitution. Examples of SSNs are previously-contributory social pensions, in-kind and foo ...
. It increased social spending on programs such as pensions, social assistance allowances, and education spending. The government introduced the
Universal Healthcare Universal health care (also called universal health coverage, universal coverage, or universal care) is a health care system in which all residents of a particular country or region are assured right to health, access to health care. It is genera ...
Program (UHP). The reform made state-sponsored health insurance available on a mass scale. Prison and crime reforms were additionally initiated that changed the approach to crime to be more lenient, scrapping the zero-tolerance policy pursued under the previous administration. Furthermore, the Parliament passed the Amnesty Bill that either granted full exemption from punishment or a reduction of prison sentences to the prisoners. However, the government also persecuted thirty-five officials who had served under the previous government with criminal charges ranging from embezzlement to abuse of power and torture. In the lead-up to the 2013 presidential election, Free Democrats debated on fielding Alasania as a separate presidential candidate, however, in the end, the coalition decided on a joint candidate
Giorgi Margvelashvili Giorgi Margvelashvili ( ka, გიორგი მარგველაშვილი; born 4 September 1969) is a Georgian academic and politician who was the fourth president of Georgia, in office from 17 November 2013 to 16 December 2018. ...
. Margvelashvili went on to win the election in a landslide garnering 62% of the votes. On 20 November 2013, Ivanishvili resigned as Prime Minister being succeeded by the Interior Minister
Irakli Garibashvili Irakli Garibashvili ( ka, ირაკლი ღარიბაშვილი, also transliterated as Gharibashvili; born 28 June 1982) is a Georgian politician and former business executive who served as the 15th prime minister of Georgia betwe ...
. During Garibashvili's tenure the government made progress towards EU integration by passing an anti-discrimination bill and signing
European Union Association Agreement A European Union Association Agreement or simply Association Agreement (AA) is a treaty between the European Union (EU, or its predecessors), its Member States and a non-EU country or bloc of countries that governs bilateral relations. Areas freq ...
. In 2014 local elections OG-FD ran as a part of the Georgian Dream coalition getting 50.82%.


Exit from Georgian Dream

Free Democrats left the Georgian Dream coalition in November 2014, a day after Alasania was fired by PM Garibashvili. This led to the emergence of a new opposition faction in the Georgian parliament and a party-switch by several MPs between the ruling coalition and the new Free Democrats faction. While State Minister for European Integration Petriashvili and Foreign Minister Panjikidze, Alasania's sister-in-law, announced their resignation, the Justice Minister Tsulukiani stated that she would keep the post. In 2016 parliamentary election Free Democrats ran independently and received 4.61% of the vote. It became the fourth-biggest party in the country, however, it failed to pass the 5% threshold needed to gain seats in the parliament. In response to the disappointing performance Alasania announced he was leaving politics with him not participating in the second round of the election. Shalva Shavgulidze was elected as the new chairman. Free Democrats and the Republicans united in the lead up to 2017 local elections. However the alliance fell apart before the election with Free Democrats choosing not to participate and the Republicans running alone. In the lead-up to the 2019 Mtatsminda district by-election
European Georgia European, or Europeans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe and other West ...
and Free Democrats decided to put up a joint candidate - the chairman of Free Democrats Shalva Shavgulidze. Shavgulidze received 38.83% narrowly losing to the Georgian Dream nominated candidate Lado Kakhadze, who got 41%. Free Democrats and European Georgia had discussed further uniting ahead of 2020 parliamentary election, however, FD ran separately, receiving 5,188 votes or 0.27%, the party's lowest result thus far. In the lead up to the election the party suffered an internal crisis that led to the chairman of the party Shavgulidze leaving it and Tamar Kekenadze, the Secretary-General, taking up his position. In 2021, Free Democrats, Republicans, and
Strategy Aghmashenebeli Yes to Europe – Strategy Aghmashenebeli ( ka, კი ევროპას – სტრატეგია აღმაშენებელი, tr), sometimes translated as Strategy Builder (named after the David IV of Georgia, King David IV o ...
announced the formation of the
Third Force Third Force may refer to: Politics * Third party (politics), party other than one of the two dominant ones in a two-party political system ** Third party (United States), in American politics ** Third parties in a Two-party system#Third parties ...
coalition. Third Force ran in the 2021 local elections receiving 1.34% of the vote.


Ideology

Despite the fact that Free Democrats has self-positioned itself as " right-centrist", analysts have labeled it a
centrist Centrism is the range of political ideologies that exist between left-wing politics and right-wing politics on the left–right political spectrum. It is associated with moderate politics, including people who strongly support moderate policie ...
or
centre-left Centre-left politics is the range of left-wing political ideologies that lean closer to the political centre. Ideologies commonly associated with it include social democracy, social liberalism, progressivism, and green politics. Ideas commo ...
party. The party has been referred to as liberal or
left-liberal Social liberalism is a political philosophy and variety of liberalism that endorses social justice, social services, a mixed economy, and the expansion of civil and political rights, as opposed to classical liberalism which favors limited g ...
. It has been categorized as the only major centre-left party in Georgian politics. However, some analysts see the FD's positions as being more on the
centre-right Centre-right politics is the set of right-wing politics, right-wing political ideologies that lean closer to the political centre. It is commonly associated with conservatism, Christian democracy, liberal conservatism, and conservative liberalis ...
and describe it as adhering to
economic liberalism Economic liberalism is a political and economic ideology that supports a market economy based on individualism and private property in the means of production. Adam Smith is considered one of the primary initial writers on economic liberalism ...
. Free Democrats is widely seen as being
pro-European Pro-Europeanism, sometimes called European Unionism, is a political position that favours European integration and membership of the European Union (EU).Krisztina Arató, Petr Kaniok (editors). ''Euroscepticism and European Integration''. Pol ...
. It supports European integration and sees it as means to protect "national interests and high standards of living". The party is seen as being committed to deepening ties with Euro-Atlantic institutions, including the EU and
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...
. Free Democrats were additionally described as Georgian Dream's singular pro-Western faction.


Electoral performance


Local


See also

* :Free Democrats (Georgia) politicians


References


External links


Official website
{{Georgian political parties 2009 establishments in Georgia (country) Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party member parties Centrist parties in Asia Centrist parties in Europe Liberal parties in Georgia (country) Political parties established in 2009 Pro-European political parties in Georgia (country)