Georgia’s ruling party names majority of incumbents as mayoral candidates ahead of October local elections

The ruling Georgian Dream party has announced its mayoral candidates across the country’s municipalities, largely endorsing current mayors and municipal council chairpersons. The 2025 local self-government elections are scheduled for 4 October.

In many municipalities, incumbents will run for re-election, while in some cases new candidates from public service and private sectors have been nominated. Notably, Varlam Tiklauri, a TV presenter from the pro-government channel Imedi, will run for mayor of Akhaltsikhe.

Candidates by region include:

In Kakheti, incumbent mayors will be nominated in five out of eight municipalities:

Akhmeta – Aleksi Pitskhelauri;

Gurjaani – Giorgi Machavariani;

Dedoplistskaro – Nikoloz Janishvili;

Lagodekhi – Jondo Mdivnishvili;

Signaghi – Malkhaz Begiashvili;

Kvareli – Ilia Mzekalashvili (current chairman of the city assembly);

Sagarejo – Vakhtang Kagutashvili (employee of the Ministry of Defence);

Telavi – Vazha Magradze (Deputy Kakheti Regional Prosecutor).

In Kvemo Kartli, incumbent mayors will be nominated in four out of seven municipalities:

Rustavi – Nino Latsabidze;

Gardabani – Davit Kargareteli;

Dmanisi – Koba Muradashvili;

Tsalka – Ilia Sabadze;

Marneuli – Dauri Ismailov (public sector employee);

Tetritskaro – Mikheil Aptsiauri (Deputy Chairman of the City Assembly);

Bolnisi – Zamuri Chitanava (public sector employee).

Mtskheta-Mtianeti region:

Mtskheta – Gogi Abuashvili (architect);

Tianeti – Levan Tsiklauri (current mayor of Mtskheta);

Dusheti – Kakha Chitauri (current chairman of the city city assembly);

Kazbegi – Koba Geladze (engineer).

In Shida Kartli, incumbent mayors or acting mayors will be nominated in three out of four municipalities:

Gori – Konstantine Buzaladze;

Kareli – Zaza Guliashvili;

Kaspi – Vakhtang Maisuradze;

Khashuri – Paata Chaduneli (employed in the private sector).

In Samtskhe-Javakheti, incumbent mayors will be nominated in four out of six municipalities:

Adigeni – Gocha Kimadze;

Aspindza – Rostom Magrakvelidze;

Akhalkalaki – Melkon Makariani;

Ninotsminda – Anivard Masoiani;

Akhaltsikhe – Varlam Tsiklauri (Imedi TV host);

Borjomi – Mamuka Gelashvili 

In Imereti, incumbent mayors or acting mayors will be nominated in nine out of twelve municipalities:

Kutaisi – Davit Eremeishvili;

Sachkhere – Levan Ivanishvili;

Chiatura – Givi Modebadze;

Khoni – Lado Jurchadze;

Kharagauli – Koba Lursmanashvili;

Terjola – Manuchar Robakidze;

Vani – Aleksandre Gogorishvili;

Samtredia – Davit Bakhtadze;

Tskaltubo – Genadi Balanchivadze;

Bagdati – Nodar Giorgidze (current chairman of the city assembly);

Zestaponi – Vakhtang Gambashidze (current chairman of the city assembly);

Tkibuli – Davit Kublashvili (head of the Georgian Dream party organization in Tkibuli).

In Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti region, the candidates for mayors are the current chairpersons of city assemblies:

Tsageri – Chabuki Chabukiani;

Lentekhi – Giorgi Gazdeliani;

Ambrolauri – Zaza Kevanishvili (entrepreneur);

Oni – Davit Lobzhanidze (entrepreneur).

In Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, incumbent mayors have been nominated in five out of eight towns:

Poti – Beka Vacharadze;

Khobi – Davit Bukia;

Senaki – Vakhtang Gadelia;

Abasha – Giga Gabelia;

Mestia – Kapiton Ahorzholiani;

Zugdidi – Dato Kodua (member of parliament);

Chkhorotsku – Jumber Izoria (former parliamentarian);

Martvili – Giorgi Nachkebia (entrepreneur);

Tsalenjikha – Guba Sajaia (public sector employee).

Guria:

Lanchkhuti – Aleksandre Sarishvili;

Ozurgeti – Paata Kunchulia (lecturer);

Chokhatauri – Mindia Zhgheria (deputy mayor).

In Adjara, incumbent mayors or acting mayors will be nominated in three out of six municipalities:

Kobuleti – Irakli Tsetskhladze;

Khelvachauri – Zaza Diasamidze;

Shuakhevi – Omar Takidze;

Keda – Mamuka Turmanidze 

Khulo – Vakhtang Beridze

Batumi – Giorgi Tsintsadze (current head of the Government Administration of Georgian Dream in Adjara).

The ruling party has also confirmed incumbent Tbilisi mayor Kakha Kaladze as its candidate for a third term.

Among the major opposition parties, Lelo – Strong Georgia and Gakharia For Georgia plan to participate in the elections and have signed a memorandum of cooperation. However, several opposition groups, including the Coalition for Change, United National Movement, and the Federalists, have announced their decision to boycott the vote.

Former President Salome Zourabichvili has labelled the elections “imposed,” saying they have “fractured the opposition and weakened protest.”

Georgian Dream aims to win both mayoral and municipal council seats in all 64 municipalities across the country in the upcoming elections.