| European Georgia – Movement for Liberty | |
| Chairman: | Vacant |
| Secretary General: | Akaki Bobokhidze |
| Leader1 Title: | Chairman of the Political Council |
| Leader1 Name: | Gigi Tsereteli |
| Founders: | Giga Bokeria, Gigi Tsereteli |
| Headquarters: | Tbilisi, Barnovi str. 40 |
| Website: | europeangeorgia.ge |
| Country: | Georgia |
| Country Dab1: | Politics of Georgia (country) |
| Elections Dab1: | Elections in Georgia (country) |
| Native Name: | ევროპული საქართველო – მოძრაობა თავისუფლებისთვის |
| Split: | UNM |
| National: | Unity – to Save Georgia(since 2024) |
| European: | European People's Party (observer)[1] |
| International: | Centrist Democrat International |
| Colors: | Navy blue and red |
| Seats1 Title: | Parliament |
| Seats2 Title: | Municipal Councilors |
| Parties Dab1: | List of political parties in Georgia (country) |
European Georgia (Georgian: ევროპული საქართველო|tr) is a political party in Georgia founded in Tbilisi in January 2017, primarily by prominent former members of the United National Movement. From 2017 to 2021 the party was chaired by Davit Bakradze.[2] From 2021 to 2024, the chairman was Giga Bokeria who was chairman of the political council from 2017 to 2021.
The party holds seats in the Parliament of Georgia as a result of the 2016 parliamentary election, in which its members ran as part of the opposition United National Movement (UNM). After an internal disagreement, a significant part of the UNM parliamentary caucus and leadership (including Giga Bokeria, Sergi Kapanadze and Elene Khoshtaria) broke away.[3] The breakaway entity took the largely unknown legal vehicle of a previous party whose leadership included Nugzar Tsereteli, father of Gigi Tsereteli, and had previously run in coalition with the UNM. The breakaway faction in the Parliament initially renamed itself to European Georgia, before choosing the name of Movement for Liberty-European Georgia during a presentation by Davit Bakradze on January 30, 2017. On the same date party leader Gigi Ugulava was named interim secretary general, in place until a party conference could be held.[4] [5]
The party held its first convention on May 27, during which they elected Bakradze as chairman of the party, Ugulava as secretary-general, and approved the party's name as European Georgia - Movement for Liberty.[6]
In the 2017 local elections, European Georgia ran independently, won 10.4% of the vote and managed to secure a number of seats in municipal councils across the country, particularly in urban areas like Tbilisi. However, the party faced significant challenges in building a nationwide base of support, competing against both the dominant Georgian Dream party and the established UNM.
In the 2018 presidential elections, David Bakradze, the candidate from the European Georgia, finished in third place with 10.97% of the vote.
The 2020 parliamentary elections were a critical test for European Georgia. The party campaigned on a platform of democratic reforms and European integration, but it struggled to break through in a polarized political environment. European Georgia won 3.79% of the vote, securing 5 seats in the Georgian Parliament. Despite the relatively modest results, the party remained a vocal opposition force, often collaborating with other opposition groups to challenge the Georgian Dream government.
In the years following the 2020 elections, European Georgia faced internal divisions and a waning public support base. The departure of several key members, including Gigi Ugulava, Elene Khoshtaria, and David Bakradze,[7] [8] further weakened the party, making it increasingly challenging for European Georgia to stand out within a competitive opposition arena.
On 1 August 2024, Giga Bokeria and Tamar Chergoleishvili, along with their colleagues, left the European Georgia. According to Giga Bokeria, the party's general secretary, Akaki Bobokhidze, and the Chairman of the Political Council, Gigi Tsereteli, along with their supporters, found the results of the primaries[9] unacceptable. Bokeria stated that some of the party leaders, including Tsereteli and Bobokhidze, decided to deviate from the party's chosen course, which led to their separation. Two days earlier, on July 30, a 37-member parliamentary list, aligned with the results of the primaries, was published. Later, It has since been confirmed that the majority of this list, comprising 24 members, had left the party.[10] [11]
Chergoleishvili announced that those who left European Georgia will establish a new political party.[12]
The party's economic liberal and center-right platform is virtually identical to the UNM's. The main difference between the two parties is their political strategy, with European Georgia historically being more institutional rather than activist. For instance, European Georgia in 2017 displayed a higher willingness toward contesting elections and taking part in the political process compared to the UNM which boycotted the elections. This has changed recently, however, as both parties have increasingly cooperated in opposition to the ruling Georgian Dream government.
In an interview with the online news website Netgazeti, Giorgi Ugulava distinguished the Movement for Liberty as being more liberal than the UNM, specifically describing the UNM as populist and communitarian.[13]
| Election | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 156,232 | 10.4 | New | ||
| 2021 | 29,251 | 1.66 | 148 |
| Municipal Council | Votes | % | Seats | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gurjaani | 1,045 | 3.75 (#4) | ||
| Akhaltsikhe | 593 | 3.00 (#3) | ||
| Aspindza | 229 | 3.40 (#3) | ||
| Akhalkalaki | 977 | 5.50 (#3) | ||
| Ninotsminda | 351 | 3.25 (#4) | ||