MP from People’s Power faction calls for constitutional ban on opposition UNM before municipal vote

A Georgian lawmaker from the People’s Power faction has called on parliament to initiate legal proceedings to ban the United National Movement (UNM), a former ruling force and the country’s main opposition party, ahead of upcoming local elections this autumn.

Guram Macharashvili, a member of the parliamentary commission investigating the UNM’s time in power, urged the body to complete its work within a month in order to file a constitutional lawsuit against the party.

“If we manage to wrap up our work by early June, the chances of restricting the UNM’s political activity before the elections will significantly increase,” Macharashvili said during a commission session.

The People’s Power faction, which split from the ruling Georgian Dream party and is known for its staunchly anti-Western views, has repeatedly accused the UNM and its allies of serving foreign interests.

Macharashvili echoed those claims, saying the opposition’s decision to boycott the elections could still be reversed depending on “what their patrons dictate from abroad.”

“In reality, the public sees more than enough evidence to understand that the collective UNM [in reference to all four opposition groups that secured seats in the parliament following the 2020 elections] no longer exists as a real political force,” he added, calling for swift action to prevent the party from participating in political life.

He also welcomed the commission’s expanded mandate, which now includes the period after 2012 – when the UNM lost power – arguing that it allowed the public to see evidence of “anti-state” activities carried out in the years since.