ALDE: “Georgian Dream” is trying to ban five opposition parties; we support “Lelo” and its liberal partners – the fight for a free, democratic and European Georgia is not over yet
The ruling party “Georgian Dream” is trying to ban five opposition parties, among them the party “Lelo” – a member of ALDE (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe) and part of the coalition “Strong Georgia,” – this is written by Aoife Devere, Communications Assistant of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE).
According to her statement, if successful, this step could leave hundreds of thousands of voters in an uncertain political situation.
“The country’s liberal forces are uniting for a response. ‘Lelo,’ which participated in the disputed 2024 parliamentary elections as part of the coalition ‘Strong Georgia,’ is now among the parties threatened with a ban. Since the next parliamentary elections are scheduled for 2028, this step will remove the main competitors from the political arena and further limit democratic competition,” writes the ALDE Communications Assistant.
According to her explanation, liberals strongly condemn the proposed ban and demand that the case be withdrawn, and also call for the European Union to impose stricter, targeted sanctions against those responsible for the crackdown.
“This step is being carried out against the backdrop of large-scale repression against dissent. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has referred to opponents as ‘liberal fascists,’ while the authorities have tightened restrictions on protest rallies, civil society and independent media. The government’s approach has been compared to Russia’s repression of the opposition,” writes the ALDE Communications Assistant.
According to her statement, for Georgian liberals this struggle is not only about the fate of five parties. It is about whether voters will be able to freely choose their representatives and whether the country will be able to move toward a European future when its democratic freedom is being restricted.
“The ALDE Party supports ‘Lelo’ and its liberal partners. The fight for a free, democratic and European Georgia is not over yet,” writes the ALDE Communications Assistant.
