National Movement debates whether to boycott parliament

(DFWatch.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–A discussion is going on within the National Movement about boycotting parliament, with the one side wanting to start with not participating in the second round of the parliamentary election.

Former President Mikheil Saakashvili got involved from Odessa, Ukraine, where he is governor. He supports a boycott, arguing that there is no point in participating in the second round because this will legitimize an election with ‘gross violations’. But he also says that it will be the individual decision of the candidates whether to participate in the second round.

Saakashvili called on the UNM candidates who might get a mandate as MP to consult with their supporters before getting into parliament and then make up their minds whether to continue working in parliament.

Davit Darchiashvili agreed with Saakashvili.

“This election was fabricated through many forms of manipulation to get a final result which would bring absolute victory to Georgian Dream. Naturally, this will continue in the second round,” he said.

Sergi Kapanadze, a new member of the party, said he is against a boycott because the UNM is not a party of one or two people but half a million voters who trusted this party.

He thinks UNM shouldn’t allow Georgian Dream to gain a constitutional majority in the second round and continue the political battle in the parliament.

Kapanadze writes on his Facebook page that UNM will make a final decision in a few days, after taking into account the opinions of party members, activists, supporters and regional leaders.

UNM received 27 percent of votes in the proportionate system, Georgian Dream 48 percent and Alliance of Patriots 5 percent. Georgian Dream won 23 majoritarian districts out of 73.

There will be a second round of majoritarian elections in 50 districts. Georgian Dream is confident that they will win all of the 50 mandates.