European Socialists (Georgian: ევროპელი სოციალისტები, romanized: evrop'eli sotsialist'ebi) is a political party in Georgia. The party was founded on January 9, 2021, by four MPs who defected from the right-wing populist Alliance of Patriots party list. The party was registered in the National Agency of Public Registry on 28 January 2021.
European Socialists ევროპელი სოციალისტები | |
|---|---|
.svg) | |
| Chairman | Fridon Injia |
| Founded | January 9, 2021 |
| Split from | Alliance of Patriots |
| Headquarters | Tbilisi |
| Ideology | |
| Political position |
|
| Colors | Blue and Red |
| Seats In Parliament | 0 / 150 |
| Seats In Martvili Municipal Assembly | 4 / 33 |
| Website | |
| eusocialists.ge | |
The party represented an opposition in the 10th convocation of Parliament of Georgia from 2021 to 2024, but it failed to receive any seats in the 2024 Georgian parliamentary election as it failed to gather enough signatures to register for the polls.[3] While in Parliament, European Socialists was known for close cooperation with the ruling Georgian Dream government. The party supports the controversial 'foreign agent bill'. The group’s political leanings are a subject to debate among analysts with some seeing the party as social democratic and pro-European, while others argue it is a conservative pro-Russian party.
History
edit
In 2020 parliamentary election, Alliance of Patriots, a right-wing populist and anti-Western party, received 3.14% of the vote electing 4 deputies through the party list. However, the party along with the rest of the opposition claimed that the results were fabricated and therefore refused to enter the parliament, launching protests against the government.[4][5]
Irma Inashvili, Gocha Tevdoradze, and Giorgi Lomia suspended their MP status, however, the party as a whole did not cancel the entire party list, which allowed Avtandil Enukidze, Davit Zilpimiani, Gela Mikadze, and Pridon Injia to keep their mandates and enter the parliament.[4] They soon left Alliance of Patriots and established European Socialists, formally rejecting their former party's Euroscepticism and support for military neutrality, declaring a Euro-Atlantic agenda.[6] Alliance of Patriots has referred to the move as a "betrayal" and described their name as "cynical", stating that a party of "4 millionaires can not be socialist".[7]
The party ran in the 2021 local elections. It got 0.15% nationwide with almost the entirety of its vote being concentrated in Martvili. There it elected 4 MPs getting 6%. The party managed to elect another MP in Kazbegi.[8]
In 2024, European Socialists supported the controversial 'foreign agents bill' that led to the widespread protests.[9] The party’s registration to run in the 2024 parliamentary election was rejected by the Election Administration of Georgia due to the party failing to provide 25,000 signatures before the 1 August deadline.[10] Ilia Injia, the son of the party leader Fridon Injia became a Georgian Dream candidate on its electoral list.[11]
Ideology
editDespite the party's name projecting a left-wing pro-European image, analysts disagree over the party's actual political leanings.[12] Some see the party as standing for socialism, social democracy, and pro-Europeanism, while others disagree and see the group as a conservative or a far-right Trojan Horse.[1][2][13][14][15] Additionally, the party is frequently described as pro-Russian and anti-Western with Europe Elects seeing the party as being "somewhat opposed to EU integration".[2][16][17][18] Myth Detector has further labeled the comments made by the party as xenophobic.[16] The party is also described as having a "tendency towards authoritarianism".[1] It is widely labeled a pro-Government party or its proxy.[15][19][20]
Electoral performance
editLocal election
edit| Election | Votes | % | Seats | +/– |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2 682 | 0.15 | 5 / 2,068
|
New |
References
edit- ^ a b c Viktor Jørgen Blichfeldt (2023). "Dancing with the Devil: The Populist Radical Right of Georgia and Its Russian Affinity". Universitas Tartuensis.
- ^ a b c d e f "Parties, Parliaments and Polling Averages - Georgia". Europe Elects.
- ^ "რატომ ეთქვა უარი არჩევნებში რეგისტრაციაზე ფრიდონ ინჯიას, შოთა შალელაშვილის და აკაკი ასათიანის პარტიებს? – ცესკო განცხადებას ავრცელებს". Ambebi.ge. 29 August 2024.
- ^ a b "Parliament suspends status of three MPs of pro-Russian Alliance of Patriots". Agenda.ge. 4 January 2021.
- ^ "Alliance of Patriots to held protest rally in Kutaisi on November 9". 1st Channel of Georgia. 5 November 2020.
- ^ "Former Alliance of Patriots MPs Launch 'European Socialists' Party". Civil Georgia. 10 January 2021.
- ^ "ალტ-ინფოსა და პატრიოტთა ალიანსის გაერთიანება - ზურაბ მახარაძე, მალხაზ თოფურია და ვახო მეგრელიშვილი". Girchi • გირჩი. 2 July 2024.
- ^ "Protocol elected municipal council members and mayors 2021" (PDF) (in Georgian). CESKO Central Election Commission. pp. 39–40. Retrieved 2024-06-26.
- ^ Henry Ridgwel (13 June 2024). "Georgia's NGOs refuse to comply with 'Russian' foreign agent law". Voice of America.
- ^ Jelger Groeneveld (23 July 2024). "2024 Elections Parliament of Georgia". East Watch.
- ^ ""ქართული ოცნების" პარტიული სია გამოქვეყნდა". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (in Georgian). 26 September 2024.
- ^ ლელა კუნჭულია (14 January 2021). "ინჯიას "ევროპელი სოციალისტების" პრორუსული, ანტიდასავლური განწყობები". Radio Tavisufleba.
- ^ European Forum for Democracy and Solidarity. "Georgia - Political Parties".
- ^ Gabriel Gavin (25 June 2023). "Georgia's pro-EU parties unite in bid to oust government". Politico.
- ^ a b Tata Shoshiashvili (27 June 2023). "Georgian Dream ramps up homophobic rhetoric as Pride Week approaches". OC Media.
- ^ a b Tamar Kintsurashvili; Mariam Dangadze (12 January 2021). "Pro-Kremlin Messages Voiced by European Socialists' Political Council Members". Myth Detector.
- ^ "ინჯია ბოკერიას: ევროპელი სოციალისტები პირველი ოპოზიციური პარტია ვართ პარლამენტში". Tabula. 9 January 2021.
- ^ Nini Beridze (20 February 2024). "როგორ ეცდება რუსეთი საქართველოს საპარლამენტო არჩევნებში ჩარევას - სხვადასხვა ხრიკები და მექანიზმები". Resonance Daily.
- ^ Alexander Davitashvili (5 September 2023). "Georgian Dream Decides to Impeach President Zourabichvili". Caspian Post.
- ^ Henry Ridgwell (12 June 2024). "Georgia's protesters vow to stay on streets until government falls". Voice of America News.