European Georgia Names MP Bakradze as Presidential Candidate
Georgia’s parliamentary minority European Georgia presented their candidate for the presidential elections – MP David Bakradze.
Bakradze’s candidacy was presented on July 21 at a party congress held in Georgia’s western city of Kutaisi.
David Bakradze, the current leader of the parliamentary minority and former speaker of the Georgian parliament from 2008-2012, says his main aim is reducing poverty in the country.
European Georgia member Gigi Ugulava says Bakradze stands a good chance of winning the presidential race.
"Society is divided and unsure. This country needs a president who will unify the people and show them that there is a hope,” he stated.
European Georgia, which has 21 seats in Parliament, was set up after the split of the former ruling party the United National Movement, in early 2017.
The UNM has united with the other 9 opposition parties, who named their joint presidential candidate, UNM’s political council member, Grigol Vashadze.
The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) has not yet announced their presidential candidate.
According to unofficial information, GD might support independent MP Salome Zurabishvili in the presidential elections, scheduled for October 2018.
At present, there are only 5 presidential candidates, including Bakradze and Vashadze. The other candidates are: Shalva Natelashvili from the Labor Party, Nino Burjanadze, the leader of the Russia-affiliated Democratic Movement-United Georgia, and Zurab Japaridze from the New Political Center – Girchi.
By Thea Morrison
Similar stories:
UNM’s Grigol Vashadze Presented as Opposition's Presidential Candidate