Georgian Idea (Georgian: ქართული იდეა, romanized: kartuli idea) was a far-right political party in Georgia. It was founded by Levan Chachua in 2014 and took part in 2016 and 2020 elections, both times missing the electoral threshold to be granted representation in the parliament.[10] In 2024, the leading positions in the party were granted to the members of far-right Alt-Info movement, following their party Conservative Movement being deregistered by Central Election Commission of Georgia.[5][9] However, on 26 April 2024, prior to the 2024 Georgian parliamentary election, the CEC suspended the electoral registration of the Georgian Idea as well, effectively banning it from the elections, after which both Georgian Idea and Conservative Movement merged with the Alliance of Patriots of Georgia.[9]
Georgian Idea ქართული იდეა | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founder | Levan Chachua |
| Founded | 6 November 2014 |
| Merged into | Alliance of Patriots of Georgia |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Far-right[8] |
| Religion | Georgian Orthodox Church |
| National affiliation | Alliance of Patriots (2024-present) |
| Colors | Yellow and Grey |
| Slogan | რწმენითა და სიყვარულით ღირსეული მომავლისთვის ('With faith and love for a dignified future') |
| De-registered | 26 April 2024[9] |
| Website | |
| qartuliidea.ge | |
The group has described themselves as the voice of Georgian Orthodox Christians and as adhering to traditional Christian values. It has been placed on the radical far-right of the political spectrum with its views being described as ultraconservative, ultranationalist, ethnocentric, homophobic, and xenophobic. The party additionally supports the restoration of the monarchy in Georgia. In foreign policy, it supports building alliances with Russia based on religious ties and renewal of the severed Russia-Georgian direct dialogue and diplomatic relations for that end. Furthemore, the party has been commonly labeled anti-Western, Eurosceptic, and pro-Russian.[a]
History
editGeorgian Idea was founded in 2014 by a recognized political prisoner Levan Chachua.[5] The party participated in the 2016 parliamentary election with the election number of 18. It received 2,019 votes (0.17%).[10]
Georgian Idea further took part in the 2020 parliamentary election as well with a different election number of 44. It received 8,263 votes (0.43%). The party subsequently did not run in 2021 local elections.[10]
In 2024 after the party Conservative Movement was deregistered on a claimed technicality, members of the far-right Alt-Info group announced they had been given control of the Georgian Idea party.[5] The chairman of Conservative Movement/Alt Info, Giorgi Kardava, was subsequently elected the chairman of Georgian Idea. Three days later Central Election Commission suspended the registration process of the party as an electoral entity further limiting Alt-Info's ability to take part in the 2024 parliamentary election.[9]
Activism
editThe party has taken part in protests that have been described as destructive and violent. The group has participated in a number of anti-LGBT protests such as the ones against Tbilisi Pride and what they have referred to as "gender ideology".[1][11] During the screening of the LGBT movie And Then We Danced Georgian Idea along with another far-right group Georgian March organized a protest where they blocked the entrance to the movie theater holding a screening of the film, insulting and scaring away individuals who wanted to attend the showing.[1] The group joined protests against the construction of Namakhvani HPP where they attacked and expelled a civil activist for wearing an LGBT armband.[12]
In 2018 the group launched a complaint against Aiisa, a condom company, to the Supervision Department of Tbilisi for displaying a hand gesture with crossed fingers that resembled Christ’s hand gesture and the image of Tamar the Great, a canonized Georgian queen, on their products. The case was referred to Tbilisi City Court which found the company guilty of discrediting religious symbols fining them 500 GEL and ordering the removal of their products from markets.[2] In 2023, the European Court of Human Rights found Tbilisi City Court’s decision to be a violation of Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights infringing on the right to freedom of expression.[3]
Ideology
editGeorgian Idea has been commonly attributed to being a part of radical far-right.[1][5] Its ideology has been labeled as conservative, ultraconservative, ultranationalist, ethno-nationalist.[1][2][3][13] The party supports the restoration of the Georgian monarchy.[4] Furthermore, the group has been described as xenophobic and homophobic. Similarly to many other Georgian radical right-wing parties, the fiscal policies of Georgian Idea lean left with them supporting programs such as state subsidies for healthcare. On foreign policy, the party has been described as anti-Western, pro-Russian, and Eurosceptic.[1][9][13]
Social policy
editGeorgian Idea considers building the "genuinely Georgian, Orthodox and divinely blessed state" as its primary goal.[4] The group has self-positioned itself as being against "abortions, drugs, casinos, LGBT, and cults".[11] Georgian Idea emphasizes the preservation of Christian values and promises to be a "voice of the [Georgian Orthodox Christians]". It supports policies to strengthen the Orthodox Church's influence at the state level such as by increasing the role of the church in the education system. This has attracted a number of priests to the party.[1][11]
Georgian Idea is strictly opposed to liberalism and liberal values.[1][13] The party's use of hate speech, incitement to aggression, and the spread of conspiracies have been described as being dangerous to the development of pluralistic democracy and tolerant society.[12] The group has been described as being opposed to "fundamental political freedoms, a culture of equality, and an anti-discrimination philosophy". The party is against the anti-discrimination legislation passed by the Georgian Dream government with Chachua elaborating that they did not want to legalize “perversion” in the country.[1]
Georgian Idea has also expressed its opposition to vaccine mandates imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying that the people should reject taking the vaccine as well as the political elite that would enact mandatory measures.[14]
Foreign policy
editGeorgian Idea has been described as being radically Eurosceptic, anti-Euro-Atlantic and anti-Western. The party does not oppose cooperation with certain European states but rejects membership in the European Union and NATO. Additionally, they have disavowed the association agreement with the EU. The group views European integration as a "threat to moral purity" and rejects the European Union for its liberalism and multiculturalism, seeing it as a threat to the Georgian Christian national identity. According to Chachua, "Georgia's choice is not the Sodomite-Gomorrahite West, but the path of Christ".[15] Furthermore, Chachua has railed against what he sees as a "political system managed by foreign countries".[1]
The group welcomes friendly relations with Russia and outlines the shared religion between the two countries.[1][9][13] This has led to the party being labeled pro-Russian.[1][9][13] The group supports seeking closer relations and alliances with countries that are governed by "independent governments and conservatives", such as Russia, Hungary and Belarus. According to Chachua, it is a pity that "instead of supporting each other, the Orthodox Christian countries [like Georgia and Russia] are fighting and weakening each other". The party blames the West and its "puppet regimes" of Eduard Shevardnadze and Mikheil Saakashvili for straining the Georgia–Russia relations, but also "inflexible and coercive" policy of the Kremlin. The party expresses hope that Georgia and Russia will resolve their differences as it considers both nations to be naturally bound to each other as Orthodox Christian nations. Based on religious ties, the party additionally considers Serbs, Ukrainians, and other Orthodox Christian nations to be especially close to Georgia.[15]
Government reforms
editGeorgian Idea supports Georgia becoming a constitutional monarchy, in which the institution of the President would be replaced by the King, and the government, headed by the Prime Minister, would have to have its decrees countersigned by the King and vice versa. The party argues that the Georgian people have never revolted against the institution of monarchy and that it has only been abandoned because the Russian Empire forced its abolishment in 1801.[4]
Georgian Idea cites Biblical passages to argue for the restoration of monarchy considering the institution to be divine. The party argues that the King would be able to become a symbol of unity for the country, be independent of the political parties and their factionalism, and less inclined toward corruption. The group believes that the King would be especially useful in times of political crises as a neutral arbiter and as a roadblock to the usurpation of power by one political group. It argues that "in the age of globalization, the king would be a protector of the Georgian national identity and self-determination", the Georgian Orthodox Church, and the Georgian language.[4]
Georgian Idea sees the institution of monarchy as being beneficial for parliamentarism. Additionally, the party claims that restoring the Bagrationi dynasty would help reintegrate Georgia's separatist regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. It has argued that since the Bagrationi dynasty had held the title of the king of not only the Georgians but Abkhazians and Ossetians as well it would be possible to unify the country around the restored monarchy.[4]
Election results
editParliament
edit| Election | Leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Levan Chachua | 2,019 | 0.17 | 0 / 150
|
New |  12th
|
Extra-parliamentary |
| 2020 | 8,263 | 0.43 | 0 / 150
|
|
 13th
|
Extra-parliamentary |
Notes
edit- ^ See the ideology and activism sections for further detail.
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Salome Kandelaki (May 2021). "Euroscepticism and Religion in Georgian Far-right Groups' Political Agenda". Georgian Institute of Politics.
- ^ a b c "Court Fines Condoms Brand for 'Discrediting' Religious Symbols". Civil Georgia. 4 May 2018.
- ^ a b c "Aiisa Case". Georgian Democracy Initiative. 10 January 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f "კონსტიტუციური (სახალხო) მონარქიის შესახებ [ლევან ჩაჩუა]". Georgian Idea. 26 April 2019.
- ^ a b c d e Mariam Nikuradze; Shota Kincha (13 April 2024). "Georgian far-right group 'gifted' new political party after being de-registered". OC Media.
- ^ Salome Minesashvili (March 2020). "Cultural values or economic insecurity: What predicts mass support for right-wing populists?" (PDF). Georgian Institute of Politics.
- ^ "Influences of far-right groups on the political agenda". Democracy Research Institute. 5 September 2023.
- ^ [1][5][6][7]
- ^ a b c d e f g "CEC Suspends Electoral Registration of Alt-Info Party, Georgian Idea". Sakartvelos Moambe. 26 April 2024. Cite error: The named reference "sak" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ a b c "Prevention of Far-Right Extremism in Georgia" (PDF). Democracy Research Institute. September 2021.
- ^ a b c Shota Kincha (3 November 2020). "Were the far-right the biggest losers in Georgia's election?". OC Media.
- ^ a b "A coordinated network of the "Georgian Idea" party on Facebook". International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy. 21 June 2021.
- ^ a b c d e David Stulík; Kristýna Bagge (2021). "Mapping research: comparing foreign influence in Georgia" (PDF). European Values.
- ^ "ლევან ჩაჩუა: მოსახლეობამ არა მხოლოდ იძულებით ვაქცინაციაზე უნდა თქვას უარი, არამედ იმ პოლიტელიტაზეც, რომელიც ამას დაუკანონებს და დააძალებს". Georgian Idea. 25 September 2021.
- ^ a b "ლევან ჩაჩუა საქართველოს საგარეო ორიენტირებზე ესაუბრა "საქართველოს და მსოფლიოს"". Georgian Idea. 20 August 2021.