Policy & Mud-Slinging: Ogden on the 3rd Option

OPED

This week, opera singer turned-political savior, Paata Burchuladze, made a gaffe when saying that the number of people receiving welfare benefits from the government would double should he be elected Prime Minister in the upcoming October elections.

It is quite clear what Mr. Burchuladze really meant, but it seems strange that the fact that the meaning of his words might be misinterpreted did not occur to him or his speech writers. Attempts by Girchi’s Zurab Japaridze to explain away Mr. Burchuladze’s remarks sounded like a hollow attempt to justify and galvanize support for his party’s cooperation with Burchuladze. Had Girchi and Burchuladze’s State for People (or State for the People; I’m not sure of the direct English translation, and I doubt Burchuladze’s people are either) still been rivals rather than allies, I highly doubt Mr. Japaridze would have enjoyed savaging Burchuladze for his gaffe rather than clumsily trying to explain it away.

Burchuladze’s new election bloc, made up of a number of smaller parties banding together, has presented itself as a viable alternative to the powerhouse parties of the United National Movement and Georgian Dream, but its status as a ‘third way’ has come under question. The decision to join with other parties caused a small exodus of members and staff from both Burchuladze’s own party and Girchi, as they believed that this pragmatic step was incompatible with the parties’ ideologies.

Exactly what Burchuladze’s ideology is, however, remains unclear. Girchi, despite being a small party, has solid economic policies and plans (though it seems unaware that its defense proposals have already been enacted by the current government), but Burchuladze’s rhetoric centers around vague notions of ‘the West’. In addition, his background as an opera singer has further highlighted his unsuitability as a candidate for Prime Minister, although his most vocal critic has been Kakha Kaladze, a man completely unqualified for his own job as Minister of Energy being a former football player. Kaladze may be clumsily trying to deflect attention away from his own incompetence, or he may be entirely unaware that a comparison between himself and Burchuladze might be made. I’m inclined to believe the latter is more likely.

Georgians vote for the character rather than the party, and this is unlikely to change with each faction (and its leader) offering the same promises of NATO and EU membership, punishment for corruption and the creation of jobs. With so many similar statements being made, people seem to revert to judging by the familiar, and policies become irrelevant as the UNM is accused of being controlled by former President Saakashvili, Georgian Dream is described as being Bidzina Ivanishvili’s plaything, and Irakli Alasania is seen to have always made sure he ends up on the winning side while leaving his integrity in the gutter. All have (at least) grains of truth to them, but policy ceases to matter and Georgia’s democratic progression grinds to a halt as elections are determined by personal insults, grudges and perceptions.

Burchuladze and his new bloc are offering no true alternative, and he may even have damaged his own cause by aligning himself with parties made up of former UNM officials; a number of his own party members abandoning his cause is hardly an indicator of strong party unity, or even that their overall strategy was particularly well thought out. Burchuladze’s entry into politics was not particularly surprising, but he might have considered and discussed the idea of coalition with his team before causing a few of them to leave. His campaign seems hasty, ill-planned and destined to fail. There is little about the man or his party which has captured the public imagination, and his sole selling point as being a third (or fourth) option is hardly going to garner enough votes to win.

These elections will leave nobody satisfied, whatever the outcome. As a Georgian citizen, what I want to see for the next elections is a true alternative. I know many young, experienced and very well-educated Georgians in a variety of fields who would do this county good service in elected office. It would be refreshing to have qualified people stand for election, especially those with no prior party affiliation. You may be sure that I have completely written off October’s elections as being able to bring any tangible results, but I live in hope for next time.

Tim Ogden