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People's Power (Georgia)

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People's Power
ხალხის ძალა
ChairmanSozar Subari
FoundersSozar Subari
Mikheil Kavelashvili
Dimitri Khundadze
Founded2 August 2022 (2022-08-02)
Split fromGeorgian Dream
Ideology
Political positionRight-wing[9]
National affiliationGeorgian Dream
(since 2024)
Colors   
Parliament of Georgia
6 / 150
Municipal Councilors
27 / 2,068
Website
Facebook page

People's Power (Georgian: ხალხის ძალა, romanized: khalkhis dzala) is a Georgian political party founded by Georgian MPs Sozar Subari, Mikheil Kavelashvili and Dimitri Khundadze, after they left the ruling Georgian Dream.[10]

History

[edit]
Party logo until 18 March 2024

The People's Power movement was founded on 2 August 2022 by the Georgian MPs Sozar Subari, Mikheil Kavelashvili and Dimitri Khundadze, who had left the ruling Georgian Dream party on 28 June.[11][12] They said that the reason for their departure was the disagreement with the Georgian Dream on the tactical issues, but they remained in agreement on core values and that the movement would remain aligned with the Georgian Dream party in the Parliament. The leaders of the movement said that they wanted to speak more directly about "truth that is hidden behind the scenes of Georgian politics", such as the Western involvement in it.[13][14]

As of October 2022, nine deputies had already joined the movement, depriving the Georgian Dream of its parliamentary majority.[15][16] The deputies in People's Power decided to still support the Georgian Dream-led government.[17][18][19]

On 29 December 2022, People's Power announced that it would introduce a foreign agent law to the Parliament of Georgia.[20] The bill proposed that all non-governmental organizations and media outlets should disclose sources of their funding and register themselves as "agents of foreign influence" if they receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad.[21] This led to the 2023 Georgian protests. The president of Georgia, Salome Zurabishvili, supported the protesters and said she would veto the bill.[22][23][24] The parliament withdrew the bill after protests.[25][26]

On March 18, 2024, a party congress was convened, which reorganised the movement into a political party and elected MP Sozar Subari as its chairman.[27][28]

Political positions

[edit]

The movement supports limiting foreign funding of the NGOs to curb foreign influence. It claims to defend Georgia's sovereignty from external influences and has been described as sovereigntist.[3][4]

The movement has notably criticized the United States foreign policy in Georgia. In a number of public letters, its members have questioned US funding for Georgia, saying that it only served to strengthen American interests in Georgia at the expense of Georgia's state institutions and sovereignty.[29] It has accused the United States Embassy of interfering in the country's internal affairs and undermining the Georgian judiciary.[30] The movement has accused a number of Georgian political parties (including the largest opposition party, United National Movement) and NGOs of being American agents.[31] The movement has accused the USAID of "attacking Georgia's sovereignty" and "trying to subjugate the Georgian judiciary to foreign control".[32]

The movement has criticized democracy promotion by the United States, saying that this only serves as a cover to promote American interests. According to People's Power, this is accomplished through non-governmental organizations, which are funded by the United States in other countries to "strengthen democracy", but in reality serve to promote American agenda. Therefore, People's Power claims that the democracy promotion by the United States "is not aimed at strengthening the democratic system, but at undermining it", because such foreign involvement contradicts the principles of democracy such as popular sovereignty and separation of powers. According to People's Power, this process is aimed at substituting the actual democracy with "agentocracy", in which "government coalitions are formed in which the majority of parties represent agencies of foreign influence", while the countries which reject agentocracy are being accused of "democratic setback". People's Power has criticized the American efforts to export their "model of democracy" to other countries, which in Georgia has manifested itself in the "Saakashvili regime" and its widespread use of "torture and rape" against people.[33][34] Citing Indian prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru, People's Power has noted that "there is no bigger enemy to the country than the elite raised by the colonizer".[35]

The members of the party have condemned "LGBT propaganda" in Georgia, which its members think erases Georgian identity, conscience, faith and traditions.[36] According to People's Power, the issue is not the existence of the LGBT people, but the "aggressive propaganda" and promotion of such lifestyle through media industry, art, pride parades, social media and other means.[37][38][39] The member of the movement Zurab Kadagidze stated that the exposure of the young children in schools to the "LGBT theories", such as "sexual self-exploration through artificial, manipulative means" encouraged by LGBT propagandists, negatively affects their consciousness and development.[40] Khundadze stated that LGBT propaganda was a tool to deconstruct the institution of family and turn people into a "stateless biological mass".[41] The negative consequences of such "propaganda" include the demotion of national and Christian values and the massive upsurge of people who identify as the LGBT, with People's Power citing France, the United States, Spain and the Great Britain as few examples of such trends.[37][42] Khundadze has called out the United States as the promoter of LGBT propaganda in Georgia.[36] According to the movement, the European integration would only be acceptable if Georgia would preserve its national and Christian values, join Europe without being asked to renounce its "traditions and dignity".[37] The movement sympathizes with Donald Trump, Victor Orban, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic in their efforts to curb "LGBT propaganda".[43][41]

Leadership

[edit]

The party is led by the Chair, who is the leader of the party's political council. The current chairman is Sozar Subari.[44][45]

Seats in Municipal assemblies

[edit]
Municipal Council Seats Status
Lagodekhi[46]
1 / 30
 Government
Telavi[47]
1 / 39
 Government
Gori[48]
2 / 36
 Government
Borjomi[49]
2 / 33
 Government
Akhaltsikhe[49]
3 / 39
 Government
Adigeni[47][49]
3 / 33
 Government
Aspindza[47]
3 / 30
 Government
Akhalkalaki[49]
2 / 42
 Government
Ninotsminda[49]
2 / 30
 Government
Terjola[46]
1 / 30
 Government
Chiatura[46]
1 / 36
 Government
Khobi[50]
1 / 36
 Government
Zugdidi[50]
2 / 45
 Opposition
Batumi[51]
1 / 35
 Government
Shuakhevi[52]
2 / 21
 Government

Electoral performance

[edit]

Parliamentary election

[edit]
Election Leader Votes % Seats +/– Position Government Coalition
2024 Sozar Subari 1,120,053 53.93
6 / 150
 New 1st Government Georgian Dream[53]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Parties, Parliaments and Polling Averages: Georgia". Europe Elects.
  2. ^ a b Kornely Kakachia; Nino Samkharadze (December 2022). "People's Power or Populist Pawns? Examining Georgia's New Anti-Western Political Movement" (PDF). Georgian Institute of Politics.
  3. ^ a b "Q&A What does "Foreign Agent Law" mean for Georgia?". Civil.ge. 15 February 2023. Archived from the original on 2023-02-15. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
  4. ^ a b "Sovereignist Revival". Civil.ge. 6 March 2023. Retrieved 2023-03-06.
  5. ^ "Georgia - 3 Political Parties". European Forum for Democracy and Solidarity.
  6. ^ [3][4][5]
  7. ^ Joshua Kucera (25 July 2024). "Never Mind Unseating Georgian Dream, Georgia's Opposition Must First Overcome Internal Frictions". Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty.
  8. ^ "Managing Upwards: Fall and Rise of Irakli Kobakhidze". Civil Georgia. 8 February 2024.
  9. ^ [2][7][8]
  10. ^ Today, Georgia (2022-08-03). "Former GD MPs Establish Public Movement 'People's Power'". Georgia Today. Archived from the original on 2022-10-17. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
  11. ^ "Three MPs quit ruling Georgian Dream". 1tv. Retrieved 2022-06-28.
  12. ^ "Former GD MPs Establish Public Movement 'People's Power'". Georgia Today. 3 August 2022. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  13. ^ ""ხალხის ძალა" - სუბარმა, ყაველაშვილმა, ხუნდაძემ და მაჭარაშვილმა მოძრაობა დააფუძნეს". რადიო თავისუფლება (in Georgian). 2 August 2022. Archived from the original on 2022-10-17. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
  14. ^ Datunashvili, Irakli (2022-08-03). ""ხალხის ძალა" - ოცნებიდან წასულმა დეპუტატებმა საზოგადოებრივი მოძრაობა დააფუძნეს - JAMnews". Georgian Jamnews (in Georgian). Archived from the original on 2022-10-17. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
  15. ^ ""სიმართლის მთქმელი" 9 დეპუტატი და "ოცნება" უმრავლესობის გარეშე". რადიო თავისუფლება (in Georgian). 4 October 2022. Archived from the original on 2022-10-17. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
  16. ^ "5 MPs and 9 experts - new members joined "People's Power"". Rustavi 2. 4 October 2024.
  17. ^ "Movement People's Power consults on enlargement". 1TV. Archived from the original on 2022-10-17. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
  18. ^ "Irakli Garibashvili on People's Power movement". caucasuswatch.de (in German). 12 October 2022. Archived from the original on 2022-10-17. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
  19. ^ "ცნობილია, რომელი დეპუტატები და ექსპერტები უერთდებიან "ოცნებიდან" წასულ "ოთხეულს"". რადიო თავისუფლება (in Georgian). 4 October 2022. Archived from the original on 2022-10-17. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
  20. ^ "According to the People's Power draft law, a register of agents of foreign influence should be created, in which registration will be mandatory for all NGOs and entities that are financed from foreign sources". Interpressnews. 2022-12-29. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  21. ^ "Bill on transparency of foreign influence to be submitted to Parliament". 1tv. 2023-02-19. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  22. ^ "Georgian police use tear gas on protests against 'foreign agents' law". Reuters. March 7, 2023 – via www.reuters.com.
  23. ^ "Georgians protest against draft law on media, nonprofits". ABC News.
  24. ^ "Thousands protest at Georgian 'foreign agent' bill". BBC News. 8 March 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  25. ^ Kirby, Paul (9 March 2023). "Georgia drops 'foreign agents' law after protests". BBC News.
  26. ^ Megrelidze, Sophiko (10 March 2023). "Georgia drops foreign agents law after massive protests". The Associated Press.
  27. ^ "Civil Georgia | People's Power Officially Registers Political Party". civil.ge. 18 March 2024. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  28. ^ "People's Power Movement holds party congress today". 1tv. 2024-03-18. Retrieved 2024-03-19.
  29. ^ "Georgian society should be interested in US aid goals, People's Power says". 1tv. Archived from the original on 2022-10-20. Retrieved 2022-10-21.
  30. ^ "Former ruling party MPs accuse US Embassy of "attacking the Govt", interfering in judiciary". 1tv. Archived from the original on 2022-10-20. Retrieved 2022-10-21.
  31. ^ "Georgia is envisioned for a certain role that we shall play under the dictation of the Embassy - new statement of the People's Power". Rustavi 2. Archived from the original on 2022-10-20. Retrieved 2022-10-21.
  32. ^ "People Power Says USAID-backed Rule of Law Project "Attack on Sovereignty"". Civil.ge. 24 January 2023. Archived from the original on 2023-01-26. Retrieved 2023-01-27.
  33. ^ "According to the dictionary of pseudo-liberals, an independent court means an externally managed court, an independent media means an externally managed media - People's Power". Rustavi2.ge. 18 November 2022.
  34. ^ "Georgian Dream departees: American funding in Georgia is not aimed at strengthening the democratic system, but at undermining it". Interpressnews. 19 September 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  35. ^ ""ხალხის ძალა" განცხადებას ავრცელებს - ე.წ. ლიბერალების მიერ წარმოებული აგრესიული კამპანიის მხილება ჩვენი სამომავლო საქმიანობის ერთ-ერთი უმნიშვნელოვანესი მიმართულება იქნება". 1st channel. 2 November 2022.
  36. ^ a b "If you use the LGBT topic as a tool of blackmail in the process of granting status, the society's response will be appropriate - Khundadze to partners". Mtavari Arkhi. 13 June 2023. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  37. ^ a b c ""ხალხის ძალა" - ამერიკული გაგებით, სტრატეგიული პარტნიორობა არა მჭიდრო ეკონომიკური თანამშრომლობა, პირდაპირი ფრენები და უვიზო მიმოსვლა, არამედ რადიკალიზმისა და ლგბტ-პროპაგანდის გაღვივებაა". 1st channel. 26 February 2024.
  38. ^ "ყაველაშვილი: უკვე იმდენად შეაღწია ლგბტ პროპაგანდამ ყველა სფეროში, მათ შორის ხელოვნებაში, სოცქსელებში და ა.შ. რომ ამაზე საჭიროა ხმამაღლა საუბარი და განგაშის ზარების შემოკვრა". Newshub. 29 February 2024.
  39. ^ "მიხეილ ყაველაშვილი: მზაკვრული გეგმა ემსახურება იმას, რომ რაც შეიძლება მეტი ადამიანი ნეიტრალური გახდეს ლგბტ იდეოლოგიის მიმართ, რომელიც თითქოსდა სუსტებს იცავს, სინამდვილეში კი კაცობრიობის წინააღმდეგ მიმართული აქტია". Imedinews. 10 July 2024.
  40. ^ "ზურაბ ქადაგიძე: დამანგრეველი ეფექტი აქვს "ლგბტ" თეორიებს ბავშვებსა და არასრულწლოვანთათვის, როდესაც წახალისებულია პროპაგანდისტების მხრიდან". Imedinews. 27 February 2024.
  41. ^ a b "LGBT propaganda is gaining momentum, this is a new weapon for conquering states - Khundadze". Rustavi 2. 2024-02-29.
  42. ^ "საზოგადოებრივი მოძრაობა "ხალხის ძალის" განცხადება". 1tv. 2024-02-26.
  43. ^ "მიხეილ ყაველაშვილი: მზაკვრული გეგმა ემსახურება იმას, რომ რაც შეიძლება მეტი ადამიანი ნეიტრალური გახდეს ლგბტ იდეოლოგიის მიმართ, რომელიც თითქოსდა სუსტებს იცავს, სინამდვილეში კი კაცობრიობის წინააღმდეგ მიმართული აქტია". Kvira.ge. 2023-07-10.
  44. ^ "Sozar Subari elected People's Power party chairperson". 1tv. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  45. ^ "Sozar Subari becomes the Chairman of the People's Power political party". Rustavi 2. Retrieved 2024-05-01.
  46. ^ a b c "ოთხ მუნიციპალიტეტში "ქართული ოცნების" საკრებულოს წევრებმა პარტია დატოვეს". Borjomi TV (in Georgian). 2022-07-11. Archived from the original on 2023-02-27. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
  47. ^ a b c ""ოცნება" დეპუტატებმა კიდევ 3 საკრებულოში დატოვეს". Netgazeti (in Georgian). 2022-07-13. Archived from the original on 2023-03-12. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
  48. ^ ""ხალხის ძალას" გორში უერთდება წევრი, რომელსაც კელი დეგნანთან კითხვები არა აქვს". Qartli.ge (in Georgian). 2022-10-26. Archived from the original on 2023-02-27. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
  49. ^ a b c d e "'ხალხის ძალას' სამცხე-ჯავხეთიდან 'ოცნების' 10–მდე დეპუტატი შეუერთდა". sknews.ge (in Georgian). 2022-10-25. Archived from the original on 2023-02-27. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
  50. ^ a b "ზუგდიდის საკრებულოს 2 წევრი "ხალხის ძალას" შეუერთდა". radioatinati.ge (in Georgian). 2022-10-25. Archived from the original on 2023-02-27. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
  51. ^ "ბათუმის საკრებულოს წევრმა ნინო ცხვარაძემ "ოცნება" დატოვა". batumelebi.netgazeti.ge (in Georgian). 2022-10-31. Retrieved 2024-06-14.
  52. ^ "შუახევში ქართული ოცნების ორი წევრი "ხალხის ძალას" შეუერთდა" (in Georgian). 2022-11-14. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
  53. ^ "Mamuka Mdinaradze: People's Power will take part in the parliamentary elections with a common list with us". Interpressnews. 16 July 2024.
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