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State for the People (political party)

For the political coalition with the same name that participated in the 2016 parliamentary election, see State for the People (political coalition).

State for the People (Georgian: სახელმწიფო ხალხისთვის, romanized: sakhelmts'ipo khalkhistvis) was a liberal political party in Georgia. It was founded by the Georgian operatic bass Paata Burchuladze in 2016 participating in the election held the same year in a bloc of the same name. The coalition failed to cross 5% after which Burchuladze left the party, with Nika Machutadze becoming the chairman.

State for the People
სახელმწიფო ხალხისთვის
ChairmanNika Machutadze
FounderPaata Burchuladze
Registered29 June 2016[1]
Dissolved16 July 2024
Merged intoAhali[2]
IdeologyChristian democracy[3]
Conservatism[3]
Pro-Europeanism[3][4]
Political positionCentre-right[3][4]
National affiliationState for the People
(2016)
Strength Is in Unity
(2018–2023)
Colors  Red and   White

Subsequently, State for the People became a part of the Strength is in Unity backing Grigol Vashadze's candidacy for the 2018 presidential election. In 2020 the party elected 3 MPs through the bloc's electoral list. Since it has been in opposition to the third Georgian Dream government. In 2023, the party left the SIU bloc and in 2024 it disbanded gifting its party to Ahali.

History

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State for the People Coalition

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Main article: State for the People (political coalition)
 
Paata Burchuladze, the founder of State for the People party

In the spring of 2016, ahead of the year’s parliamentary election, Paata Burchuladze, a world-renowned operatic bass also known for his charity work, announced his entrance into politics.[5] The first party congress of State for the People was held on 28 May, with the party being registered on 29 June.[6][1] On 18 August, it formed the State for the People political coalition with three pro-Western parties New Rights Party, New Political Centre - Girchi, and New Georgia.[7][8]

The coalition was plagued by infighting from the start with several politicians from State for the People party deciding to leave the party due to its alliance with former United National Movement lawmakers. Burchuladze claimed this was the result of "huge pressure" from the State Security Service.[7][9] Khatuna Lagazidze, one of the politicians who left the State for the People party, asked the government for protection citing the threats she received from the party.[10]

10 days before the election, the coalition experienced its largest schism with NPC – Girchi formally quitting the bloc with its leader Zurab Japaridze accusing the alliance of "blackmailing" the party.[11][12] The coalition went on to win 3.45% of the vote, finishing sixth and below the 5% threshold required to enter the parliament. It dissolved soon after. Burchuladze subsequently left the party and politics with Nika Machutadze, a 24-year-old activist, becoming its new chair.[13]

Strength is in Unity coalition

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Main article: Strength is in Unity (political coalition)
 
Grigol Vashadze, Strength is in Unity's candidate for the 2018 presidential election and its leader from 2019 to 2020

Ahead of the 2018 presidential election, State for the People, along with eight other opposition parties, joined the UNM-led Strength is in Unity coalition. The alliance backed Grigol Vashadze, a former Foreign Minister from UNM, as its presidential candidate.[14] Despite Vashadze’s strong second place finish in the first round of voting, he ended up losing in a landslide in the runoff to Georgian Dream backed independent candidate Salome Zourabichvili.[15][16] The loss has been attributed to a government supported scheme where Bidzina Ivanishvili, Georgian Dream's de facto leader, covered the debts of 600,000 Georgians with his charity, giving Zourabichvili a massive boost. It has been considered "an unprecedented case of vote-bribing".[17]

 
Mikheil Saakashvili, president of Georgia from 2003 to 2013 and the coalition's pick for the PM candidate

On September 15, ahead of the 2020 parliamentary election, five political formally recreated the Strength is in Unity coalition. The coalition's electoral list was led by actor and singer Vakhtang Kikabidze with its Prime Ministerial candidate being ex-President from UNM Mikheil Saakashvili.[18][19] The bloc received 27.1% of the vote finishing second behind Georgian Dream and getting 36 seats.[20] Out of the 36 seats 3 were allocated to State for the People.[21]

State for the People, along with other members of the Strength is in Unity coalition, refused to recognize the election results as legitimate and boycotted the parliament.[22] It backed negotiations with Georgian Dream facilitated by Western powers, however, Strength is in Unity coalition in the end did not sign the 19 April deal.[23][24] Nevertheless, on 30 May 2021 the alliance entered the parliament.[25] Nato Chkheidze from the party was elected as faction's one of the two deputy chairs.

On 17 May 2023, State for the People halted cooperation with the Strength is in Unity coalition after endorsing the ruling party's preferred candidates to Georgia's High Council of Justice. As a result, Nato Chkheidze, Rostom Chkheidze, Nika Machutadze left the faction.[26] On 16 July 2024, State for the People gifted its party to two opposition figures Nika Gvaramia and Nika Melia who subsequently renamed it to Ahali.[2] Ahali is part of Coalition for Change political alliance for the same year's parliamentary election.[27]

Ideology

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State for the People's ideology has been described as Christian democracy and conservatism, with liberal and populist leanings and anti-establishment tone.[3][9] It is placed on the centre-right of the political spectrum with its foreign policy being described as pro-Europeanism.[3][4] However, some analysts have criticized the party for lacking a consistent message, platform, and ideology.[13]

Electoral performance

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Parliamentary election

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Election Leader Votes % Seats +/– Position Government Coalition
2016 Paata Burchuladze 60,681 3.45
0 / 150
 New 6th Extra-parliamentary State for the People
2020 Nika Machutadze 523,127 27.18
3 / 150
   3   2nd Opposition Strength Is in Unity

Local election

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Election Votes % Seats +/–
2017 606 0.04
1 / 2,043
 New

References

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  1. ^ a b "პოლიტიკური პარტიების რეესტრი". National Agency of Public Registry of Ministry of Justice of Georgia.
  2. ^ a b "გვარამიამ და მელიამ პაატა ბურჭულაძის დაფუძნებული პარტია გადაიფორმეს". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Dr. Maia Urushadze; Dr. Tamar Kiknadze (2–4 July 2021). "The Relevance of the Actual Values of the Political Actors of Georgia with the Ideologies Declared by Them". Diamond Scientific Publishing.
  4. ^ a b c "Parties, Parliaments and Polling Averages: Georgia". Europe Elects.
  5. ^ Vasili Rukhadze (5 May 2016). "Georgian Political Field Fragments Ahead of the 2016 Parliamentary Elections". The Jamestown Foundation.
  6. ^ Cago Kakhaberidze (28 May 2016). "ბსუ-ს ყოფილი რექტორი ალეკო ბაკურიძე პაატა ბურჭულაძის პარტიაში". Batumelebi.
  7. ^ a b "Opera Singer's Party Forms Election Bloc with NPC-Girchi, New Georgia, New Rights". Civil Georgia. 18 August 2016.
  8. ^ Thea Morrison (20 August 2016). "Georgia's Burchuladze Forms Coalition with 3 Pro-Western Parties". Georgia Today.
  9. ^ a b Carles Jovaní (6 October 2016). "Has democracy become routine in Georgia? A competitive parliamentary election suggests so". Common Space.
  10. ^ "Burchuladze's team-mate splits, asks authorities for protection". Democracy & Freedom Watch. 9 September 2016.
  11. ^ "Burchuladze-Led Election Bloc's List of MP Candidates". Civil Georgia. 8 September 2016. Retrieved 2023-03-16.
  12. ^ "State for People Election Bloc's List of MP Candidates". Civil Georgia. 28 September 2016. Retrieved 2023-03-16.
  13. ^ a b Joseph Alexander Smith (December 2021). ""STAYING POWER" - Accounting for Ephemerality in the Georgian Party System Since 2012" (PDF). Friedrich Ebert Stiftung.
  14. ^ "UNM-led Coalition Picks Presidential Candidate". Civil Georgia. July 18, 2018. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  15. ^ "Polls Open in Georgia's Presidential Runoff". Civil Georgia. November 28, 2018. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  16. ^ Giorgi Lomsadze (29 November 2018). "Opposition challenges results in Georgia's presidential election". Eurasianet.
  17. ^ "Watchdogs: Signs of "Unprecedented Voter-bribing"". Civil Georgia. 19 November 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2024.
  18. ^ "UNM-led Bloc Unveils Proportional-Party List". Civil Georgia. October 1, 2020. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  19. ^ "Ex-President Saakashvili Named as UNM's Prime Ministerial Hopeful". Civil Georgia. September 7, 2020. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  20. ^ "Winners and Losers of Georgia's October 31 Elections". Civil Georgia. November 2, 2020. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  21. ^ Jelger Groeneveld. "2020 Elections Parliament of Georgia". Eastwatch.
  22. ^ "All Opposition Parties Refuse to Enter Next Parliament". Civil Georgia. November 2, 2020. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  23. ^ "Boycotting Opposition Parties Call on GD to Resume Talks". Civil Georgia. February 26, 2021. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  24. ^ "Georgian Dream, Opposition, Except for UNM, EG, Sign EU Proposal". Civil Georgia. April 19, 2021. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  25. ^ "United National Movement Creates Parliamentary Faction". Civil Georgia. June 7, 2021. Retrieved 2023-01-04.
  26. ^ "Georgian opposition bloc ejects members for voting for ruling party judicial candidates". Oc-media. 18 May 2023. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
  27. ^ "Name change for 'Akhali' party: "Coalition for Change – Gvaramia, Melia, Girchi, Droa"". Georgia Today. 5 August 2024.
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