For Georgia

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For Georgia: quick overview

- Leadership and history: For Georgia is a political party in Georgia led by Giorgi Gakharia. It was founded on 29 May 2021 after Gakharia left the ruling Georgian Dream party. The party positions itself in opposition to Georgian Dream.

- Ideology and positioning: It describes itself as social democratic and progressive, aiming for reform, anti-corruption, and technocracy. Its foreign policy is pro-European, and it sits around the center to center-left.

- Structure and representation: The party has 12 seats in Georgia’s 150-member parliament and 26 municipal councilors. Its headquarters are in Tbilisi.

- Key events and alliances: The party formed when six Georgian Dream MPs joined Gakharia after his resignation over a court-ordered arrest of Nika Melia. In 2021, it became the third-largest force in local elections with about 7.8% nationwide and 9.4% in the Tbilisi mayoral race.

- Policies and goals:
- Economy and social policy: supports free market ideas with a social protection system, promises to raise the minimum wage (from 50 lari to 950 lari), 6 months of unemployment benefits, and pensions tied to the economy.
- Rule of law and governance: emphasizes stronger rule of law, reduced bureaucracy, anti-corruption, and less influence from interest groups.
- Education and regional development: aims to reform education and boost regional development, especially where demographics are challenging.
- European integration: seeks closer ties with the EU and NATO, and plans to join the Party of European Socialists (PES).

- Social issues: in 2024–2025, the party supported actions for family values and opposed LGBT propaganda aimed at children, while arguing that broader state support for families and regions is needed.

- 2024–2025 election and aftermath: In the 2024 parliamentary elections, the party won about 8% and 12 seats. After the election, there was a boycott by other opposition parties; in 2025, all 12 MPs’ mandates were terminated by the ruling party, with procedures to appoint new MPs from the party list. The party continues to present itself as an alternative to both the ruling party and the main opposition.

- International aim: Gakharia and For Georgia have signaled a desire to align with European social democratic values and institutions, reinforcing Georgia’s European Union aspirations.