TBILISI, August 13 – Georgia’s far right Alt Info movement, running under the name Conservatives for Georgia, has nominated Zurab Makharadze to challenge incumbent mayor Kakha Kaladze in Tbilisi.
The Central Election Commission assigned the party ballot slot No. 3, and Alt Info says it will also compete for city council seats in the capital and regions.
Makharadze says his campaign aims to form a third force in Georgian politics, offering an alternative to both the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) and the main opposition United National Movement (UNM). He argues that strong representation in municipal councils is key to curbing corruption and misuse of public funds.
Political analyst Ramaz Sakvarelidze doubts Makharadze will seriously threaten Kaladze, but warns that overconfidence can cost even well-entrenched incumbents. He points to GD’s weaker-than-expected results in some cities during the 2024 elections as an example.
It’s uncertain how big reach Alt Info’s figures have, especially since they often express views aligned with Kremlin talking points. Sakvarelidze notes their candidates could capture votes from disillusioned GD supporters, potentially outperforming at least one established opposition party, Lelo. By contrast, former prime minister Giorgi Gakharia’s For Georgia party is seen as better positioned to draw support from voters unhappy with both GD and UNM.
Seventeen parties are set to compete in the October 4 elections. Lelo and For Georgia have pledged to field a joint mayoral candidate in Tbilisi but have yet to finalize their choice. (Rezonansi.)
