UNM has lost 70% of its regional base, facing a severe internal crisis, Saakashvili

Former Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili on Friday said the opposition United National Movement is experiencing a deep internal crisis, claiming the party has lost around 70% of its regional core support and has become disconnected from his own public standing.

In a social media post, Saakashvili argued that the party's decline was caused by a combination of "betrayal, regime interference and mistakes," including some of his own decisions.

"UNM has lost 70% of its regional core. The party's rating is stagnating and the connection between my public perception and the public perception of UNM has practically been broken," Saakashvili wrote.

He also criticized the party's internal functioning, stating that the UNM political council has not met for several months and alleging that there has been virtually no communication between the party's current chairperson and most members of its leadership team.

According to Saakashvili, the party no longer projects the image of a political force capable of replacing the government and has failed to set the political agenda, becoming "only a shadow of its former strength."

The former president defended his support for media personality Nanuka Zhorzholiani as a potential party leader, saying she possesses the energy, experience and public outreach skills needed to revitalize the opposition movement.

At the same time, Saakashvili praised current UNM chairwoman Tina Bokuchava, describing her strengths as public speaking and international relations. He said a co-chairmanship arrangement could have been effective, but claimed Bokuchava reacted negatively to the proposal involving Zhorzholiani.

Saakashvili also said he still considers himself a contender for the party's leadership, while acknowledging that former UNM chairman Levan Khabeishvili has an equally legitimate claim to a leadership role. He noted, however, that both are currently unable to actively participate in party affairs.

Calling for a democratic process, Saakashvili encouraged party members to nominate alternative candidates and said the party's core membership should make the final decision through a transparent and fair election.

"At least no one will be able to say that I did not try to save UNM and restore it to shape," Saakashvili wrote, adding that he would continue what he described as the struggle against "dictatorship" regardless of the outcome.