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Viktor Dolidze. (Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–The Free Democrats, an opposition party which until 2014 was a member of the ruling Georgian Dream coalition, supports a Constitutional amendment that will define marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

Four members of the party signed the initiative: Giorgi Tsagareishvili, Zurab Abashidze, Viktor Dolidze and Davit Onoprishvili.

In past interviews, Free Democrats claimed that marriage is indeed a union of a man and a woman, but that it doesn’t require a constitutional amendment.

March 7, the political council of the Georgian Dream coalition made a decision to introduce the bill in parliament. But in order to have constitutional amendments considered by parliament, it is necessary to collect the signatures of 76 MPs.

The Republican Party, a coalition member, is against amending the Constitution and published a statement that they won’t support the initiative.

Speaker of Parliament Davit Usupashvili from the Republican Party said on Tuesday that the party views this issue as ‘a political mistake’. He said that making the issue a dominating theme in the election campaign is not in the interest of the people.

Earlier, he said that for the Republican Party, marriage is a union of a man and a woman but that there is no need for amending or reinforcing the legislation.

According to the Constitution, marriage is based on equal rights and willingness of spouses.