Ruling party quits European Socialists Party due to its “pseudo-liberal” transformation

The ruling Georgian Dream party on Thursday announced its quitting of the the European Socialists Party it joined in 2015 as an observer member, citing “no loud statements from it” backing it, and its transformation to a “persudo-liberal” platform instead of pursuing a “classical social-democratic ideology”. 

 

Irakli Kobakhidze, the head of the GD, claimed the party backed the domestic “radical opposition” more than its member, and supported “absurd resolutions” adopted by the European Parliament in support of former Georgian officials and against the founder of the ruling party Bidzina Ivanishvili. 

 

“We have also been constantly monitoring the ideological transformation of the party over the past several years. This kind of ideological transformation is unacceptable to us and incompatible with our party, as well as with the values and visions of Georgian society”, Kobakhidze claimed. 

 

The lawmaker noted the GD would cooperate with the specific party and other European parties “in an equal manner”.