Expert slams opposition boycott strategy, urges focus on local elections

Political expert Kakha Gogolashvili has criticised Georgia’s opposition parties for focusing exclusively on parliamentary elections while neglecting the importance of local governance. In an interview with Front News, Gogolashvili described the boycott of elections as lacking strategic depth and called for a more constructive and inclusive political approach.

“Thinking only about parliamentary elections as the main panacea for power is a bit snobbish. Local power is also very important,” he said, urging political parties to view local elections as a legitimate path toward influence and reform.

Gogolashvili claimed the current boycott by some opposition groups did not stem from a clearly defined strategy. “It’s not really a boycott strategy - it’s just a reaction to the situation,” he noted. He argued that participation in elections would offer greater prospects for consolidating protest energy, engaging the public, and laying the groundwork for future national-level changes.

“If they had united and won at least partially in the local elections, they could have strengthened regional presence, spread their message more effectively, and laid the foundation for demanding new parliamentary elections,” he said.

Gogolashvili also called for mutual respect between opposition groups, suggesting that even if they disagree on strategy, they should avoid publicly discrediting one another. “There should be some kind of gentleman’s agreement - if you don’t participate, don’t interfere with those who do, and don’t label others as traitors,” he added.