Outgoing Speaker of Parliament Davit Bakradze says the party of President Mikheil Saakashvili, the United National Movement, will split up into factions in parliament, in order to be allocated more time during debates. (IPN.)

TBILISI, DFWatch — The National Movement party, which is now in opposition in Georgia, plans to set up several parliamentary factions in the future parliament.

Davit Bakradze, current Parliament Speaker said Monday that all his party’s representatives in parliament will be united in a parliament minority, but in order to have more time during debates in parliament, both in plenary sessions and committees and other parliamentary fora, his party has decided to split up into several factions.

No further details are known at this stage. Bakradze said internal consultations are held to decide on certain details.

Davit Usupashvili, candidate for Parliament Speaker, said during a conference on Monday that Georgian Dream might also be represented in parliament by a number of factions.

He said it is important to avoid a single party holding all power, and necessary to have a multiparty system. Now is the time to start setting up such a system, he said.

The National Movement party today named Vano Merabishvili, the former interior minister and current prime minister, as new general secretary of the party. The appointment was done by the party’s political council.

Bakradze, who presented him at a briefing Monday, said Merabishivli has serious merits in forming the National Movement and its development. Now they are sure Merabishvili will play an important role in the further development of the party. President Mikheil Saakashvili supported the idea, saying that Merabishvili has good organizational experience.

Saakashvili, who is also leader of the National Movement party, said after today’s meeting with team members that many people have joined his party recently.

“We need new people in our party, renewing, new blood. We need people of all ages, including youth.”

The president said UNM is now at the stage of cleansing and renewing.

“National Movement created one of the most successful governments for a long time in the history of Georgia,” he said, adding that the party will retain its strength and play a significant role in the country’s political life.

Preliminary estimates show Georgian Dream coalition getting 85 members of parliament, while UNM will have 65. Half of the members of parliament are elected according a first-past-the-post system, out of which 41 will represent Georgian Dream and 32 UNM.

The Georgian Dream coalition received 54.97 percent of votes, while United National Movement received 40.34 percent.