Opposition UNM member: Participation in local elections would legitimize Ivanishvili’s rule

Participation in the upcoming local elections would serve as a form of legitimization for Bidzina Ivanishvili's government, which is exactly what the ruling Georgian Dream party wants, said Giorgi Botkoveli, regional secretary of the opposition United National Movement (UNM).

“Our goal is to ensure that the local elections do not take place,” Botkoveli declared, emphasizing that holding elections under the current circumstances would be a betrayal of the citizens protesting daily on Rustaveli Avenue.

His comments came in response to a recent public opinion survey conducted by the Institute for Social Studies and Analysis (ISSA), which found that 54% of the population supports opposition participation in the 2025 local elections. However, the same poll also indicated that individual party involvement would be ineffective unless a collective decision is made.

“It’s not even up for discussion,” Botkoveli stressed. “There is only one conversation to have: how do we consolidate and unite to prevent these elections from being held? Participating would be a crime against those people standing on Rustaveli every day. It would be legitimizing Ivanishvili’s regime — and that’s exactly what they want.”