Girchi — More Freedom გირჩი — მეტი თავისუფლება | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Abbreviation | Girchi–MF |
| Chairman | - |
| Founder | Zurab Japaridze |
| Founded | 28 December 2020 |
| Registered | 19 February 2021 |
| Split from | New Political Center – Girchi |
| Headquarters | Tbilisi |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Right-wing[4][5] |
| National affiliation | Girchi-MF/Droa (2023–2024) Coalition for Change (since 2024) |
| European affiliation | Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party[8] |
| International affiliation | Liberal International (observer) |
| Colors | Green |
| Parliament | 0 / 150 |
| Municipal Councilors | 0 / 2,058 |
| Seats inTbilisi City Assembly | 0 / 50 |
| Website | |
| girchi | |
Girchi — More Freedom (Georgian:გირჩი — მეტი თავისუფლება,romanized:girchi — met'i tavisupleba,lit. 'Pine cone — More Freedom') is apro-Westernlibertarianpolitical party in Georgia. It was in late 2020 founded byZurab Japaridze, former leader of theNew Political Center – Girchi, following the party split. The party was a part ofCoalition for Change electoral alliance for the2024 parliamentary election, receiving 3 seats in the Georgian parliament.
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The origins ofGirchi date back to 2015 when four dissenting MPs fromUnited National Movement, includingZurab Japaridze, left the party.[9] In 2016 Girchi was registered as a political party and it subsequently took part in the2020 parliamentary election winning 4 seats.[10][11] However, claimingelectoral fraud, Girchi refused to recognize the results and joined the boycott of the parliament.[12]
On 4 December Japaridze announced his departure from the party in a move thatRadio Free Europe/Radio Liberty referred to as "unsurprising".[13] Many observers linked Japaridze's exit to controversial comments made by party chairman Khvichia against the criminal prosecution of a man for the possession ofchild pornography, although Japaridze denied those comments as the cause of the party's split.[14][15]
On 28 December 2020, Japaridze established Girchi - More Freedom.[16] It was officially registered on 19 February 2021.[10] The newly formed party kept up boycotting the parliament and demanded the holding ofsnap elections.[17] Per Japaridze's request his mandate was eventually revoked.[18]
Ahead of the2021 local elections, Girchi - More Freedom, along with 3 other opposition parties (United National Movement,European Georgia,Droa), named joint candidates inTbilisi. Girchi - More Freedom ran candidates inMtatsminda District,Saburtalo District,Didube District, andNadzaladevi District.[19] In the election, the party received 1.44% of the votes (25,467 votes) and crossed the 2.5% threshold only in theTbilisi City Assembly, where it won one seat.[20]
In late 2021, Girchi-MF joined protests against what they saw as rigged elections. In one of the protests, the party members parked cars in front of the entrance of the State Security Service buildings all over the country with the cars having to be towed away with the politicians still inside them. Japaridze was arrested but was let go with a GEL 200 fine.[5]
On 24 February 2023, on one-year anniversary ofRussian invasion of Ukraine, Girchi - MF, along with two other opposition parties Droa andStrategy Aghmashenebeli, organized a rally in support ofUkraine protesting against what they saw as a lackluster response by the government to the war.[21][22]
In March 2023, Girchi-MF joinedprotests against the proposed 'Foreign Agent' bill. Japaridze was arrested and fined GEL 2,500 for engaging in petty hooliganism.[23] The bill was withdrawn due to the protests, however, it was reintroduced a year later, with the party also joining the second round of protests.[24] In May 2024, Japaridze was twice ambushed by masked men near the party office. He fired a warning shot leading to the ambushers fleeing the scene. Two days prior to the incident, Japaridze’s brother Gia Japaridze was ambushed and beaten while on his way home.[25]
On 28 November 2023, Girchi-MF, along with Droa, launched the "Ballot Box in Your City" project with the aim of opening polling stations abroad in cities where a Georgian consulate is not located.[26] For a polling station to be opened it requires a request by at least 50 Georgian citizens.[27] The two parties have subsequently criticized Central Election Commission for what they see as an insufficient response to the issue of emigrants voting from abroad.[28]
On 6 September 2023, Girchi-MF created an alliance with theliberal Droa party.[29] The two parties then further joinedCoalition for Change alliance ahead of the2024 parliamentary election.[30] Girchi-MF is a signatory to theGeorgian Charter initiated by PresidentSalome Zourabichvili.[31]
Girchi - More Freedom is widely regarded as alibertarian orright-libertarian party.[1][2][3][4][5] It has additionally been described asliberal orclassical liberal.[1][2][7] The party’s foreign policy is viewed as being pro-Western,pro-European, and Atlanticist.[1][2][32][33]
The platform of Girchi-MF advocates for political and administrativedecentralization, elected judiciary and police chiefs,drug liberalization, abolishingmilitary conscription,right to keep and bear arms and doubling themilitary budget. On economic issues, Girchi — More Freedom supports afree market economy,tax cuts,deregulation, and the abolition of theNational Bank of Georgia.[34]
On 2 June 2022, Girchi - More Freedom became an associate member of theAlliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.[35] On June 22, 2024, the party became a full member.[36]
| Election | Leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Position | Government | Coalition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Zurab Japaridze | 229,161 | 11.03 | 3 / 150 | New | 2nd | Opposition | Coalition for Change |
| Election | Votes | % | Seats | +/– |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 25 467 | 1.44 | 1 / 2,068 | New |
| Election | Votes | % | Seats | +/– |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 15 799 | 3.30 | 1 / 50 | New |
