Victorious Georgia (Georgian: გამარჯვებული საქართველო, romanized: gamarjvebuli sakartvelo) is a political party in Georgia founded by former Georgian Minister of Defense Irakli Okruashvili. It participated in the 2020 parliamentary election independently failing to cross the 1% threshold needed to enter the parliament. However, a member of the party Gubaz Sanikidze ran on Strength is in Unity's electoral list and was representing Victorious Georgia in the 10th Parliament of Georgia. In the 2024 parliamentary election, the party was running its candidates on Unity – National Movement's electoral list but failed to receive any seats.
Victorious Georgia გამარჯვებული საქართველო | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leader | Irakli Okruashvili |
| Founded | 11 June 2019 |
| Registered | 21 October 2019[1] |
| Ideology | Conservatism[2] Pro-Europeanism[2] |
| National affiliation | Strength is in Unity (2020-2024) Unity – National Movement (since 2024) |
| Colors | Red and Yellow |
| Seats in Parliament | 0 / 150
|
History
edit_(2).jpg)
On 11 June 2019, Irakli Okruashvili announced the creation of a new political movement by the name of Victorious Georgia. Okruashvili had previously served as the Minister of Defense under the president Mikheil Saakashvili from 2004 to 2006 until his dismissal and subsequently became an influential opposition figure founding the Movement for United Georgia party. He was joined by other well-known figures such as Gubaz Sanikidze one of the founders of the National Forum party and a former coalition partner of the ruling Georgian Dream party.[3][4]
In the 2020 parliamentary election, Victorious Georgia fielded its own electoral list getting 0.19% failing to cross the 1% threshold to enter the parliament.[5] However, Sanikidze ran on United National Movement-led Strength is in Unity coalition's list and was elected.[6] Following the election, the party joined the boycott of Parliament over alleged election irregularities, which lasted for almost 5 months.[7][8] On 19 April 2021, through the mediation of the president of the European Council Charles Michel, an agreement was reached between the opposition and Georgian Dream, however, Strength is in Unity still decided against signing the agreement and entering the parliament.[9] The coalition finally entered the parliament on 30 May.[10]
The party joined a statement by 14 other parties in the summer of 2021 to defend LGBT rights in Georgia in the run-up to the Tbilisi Pride march.[11] The party has strongly opposed Russian migration to Georgia following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[citation needed] Okruashvili has went on to fight in Ukraine as a volunteer.[12] It is running as part of Unity – National Movement political coalition for the 2024 parliamentary election.
Ideology
editGubaz Sanikidze has supported "enlightened conservatism", criticizing liberalism for being ill-equipped in Georgia to gain popular support and defeat the Georgian Dream government. He has additionally criticized liberalism for rejecting "God, faith, homeland and honour", the four values he says men die for. Sanikidze additionally blamed neoliberalism for harming the West and thus helping Vladimir Putin become stronger.[13]
Electoral performance
editParliamentary
edit| Election | Leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Position | Government |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Irakli Okruashvili | 3,750 | 0.19 | 0 / 150
|
New |  19th
|
Extra-parliamentary |
References
edit- ^ "პოლიტიკური პარტიების რეესტრი". National Agency of Public Registry of Ministry of Justice of Georgia.
- ^ a b "Parties, Parliaments and Polling Averages: Georgia". Europe Elects.
- ^ Tea Topuria (11 June 2019). "გაბრაზებული ადამიანების „გამარჯვებული საქართველო"". Radio Tavisufleba.
- ^ "Ex-Officials Establish New 'Victorious Georgia' Political Movement". Civil Georgia. 12 June 2019.
- ^ "Victorious Georgia Party's List of MP Candidates". Civil Georgia. 26 October 2020.
- ^ Jelger Groeneveld. "2020 Elections Parliament of Georgia". Eastwatch.
- ^ "Georgian opposition decides to boycott parliament after declaring elections "illegitimate"". commonspace.eu. 3 November 2020.
- ^ "Opposition parties in Georgia sign joint statement renouncing their seats in parliament". JAM News. 3 November 2020.
- ^ "ოპოზიციის დეპუტატების ნაწილი პარლამენტში შევიდა". Civil Georgia (in Georgian). 2021-04-27. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
- ^ "UNM to enter Parliament". 1 TV. 30 May 2021.
- ^ "15 Georgian Parties Agree to Defend LGBTQ Rights". Civil Georgia. 2021-05-16. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
- ^ "Georgia's former defence minister comes to fight alongside Ukrainians". Ukrainska Pravda. Retrieved 2024-07-13.
- ^ "სანიკიძე: რწმენა, სამშობლო, ოჯახი და პირადი ღირსება – ლიბერალიზმს არც ერთი არ აქვს". Tabula. 2022-09-18. Retrieved 2024-07-13.