Giorgi Gakharia, a Prime Minister from the ruling Georgian Dream party, announced his resignation in February 2021, citing his opposition to the court-ordered arrest of his political rival United National Movement leader Nika Melia on charges of organizing violence in the 2019 protests. He then announced that he no longer agreed with the positions of the Georgian Dream party and his departure. Several MPs from Georgian Dream joined him to form the For Georgia party.[10][11] The MPs included Giorgi Khojevanishvili, Beka Liluashvili, Ana Buchukuri, Alexander Motserelia, Shalva Kereselidze and Mikheil Daushvili.[12] The party presentation was held on 29 May 2021.[13] For Georgia was soon joined by multiple local councillors from several municipalities.[14][15]
2021 Georgian local elections
The party participated in the 2021 local elections coming in third place, behind GD and UNM, getting a nationwide vote share of 7.81%. Gakharia also came in third place in the 2021 Tbilisi mayoral election getting 9.41% of the vote. Gakharia refused to endorse either Melia or the incumbent from GD Kakha Kaladze in the second round.[16] It subsequently managed to form coalition governments in four municipalities with the United National Movement and Lelo for Georgia opposition parties.
2024 Georgian parliamentary elections
The party supported the widespread protests against the controversial 'foreign agent' bill in 2023 and once again in 2024 after its reintroduction and passage.[17][18] Ahead of the 2024 parliamentary election, For Georgia, by the initiative of the PresidentSalome Zourabichvili, tried to forge a coalition with Lelo's Strong Georgia bloc. On 20 September, For Georgia pulled out of the talks citing irreconcilable differences. Gakharia however thanked the president and Strong Georgia's leader Mamuka Khazaradze for the attempt and pledged future cooperation.[19] For Georgia subsequently announced that Zviad Dzidziguri, the chairman of the Conservative Party, would be running on its electoral list.[20] It also signed the president's initiative Georgian Charter that set out goals for a possible interim coalition government involving For Georgia, Strong Georgia, Unity – National Movement and Coalition for Change in case of their victory in the election for the purpose of ensuring the transition of power from the ruling Georgian Dream party and holding a snap parliamentary election afterwards.[21] However, the For Georgia party also positioned itself as an alternative to both Georgian Dream and National Movement, two largest parties in Georgia at that time, pledging to not form coalition government with any of it in the future.[22] Nevertheless, the For Georgia and other opposition parties lost due to alleged fraud in the 2024 Georgian parliamentary election, with For Georgia receiving 8% of the vote, finishing on 5th place and becoming 4th largest opposition coalition in the government.[23]
The party's economic policy is based on free market principles, while additionally pledging to create a social protection system that will provide basic social services for the most vulnerable groups of the population. It seeks to strengthen rule of law and checks and balances, reform education system to create competitive human capital, reduce bureaucracy and centralization, take active measures against corruption and influence of interest groups on government agencies, and further integration of Georgia into European Union and NATO.[27] During the 2024 parliamentary election campaign, the party has promised to increase the minimum wage from the nominal 50 lari to 950 lari, introduce 6-month unemployment benefits, and tying the increase of pensions with that of the economy.[28]
In April 2024, the party voiced its support for "ruling party's aspirations to protect family values".[29] In June 2024, despite not attending the discussions in the Parliament of Georgia on the proposed bill to outlaw the "LGBT propaganda" in the country and being accused by the ruling Georgian Dream party of "supporting the LGBT propaganda", the MP Mikheil Daushvili said that the party opposes "propaganda directed at children, especially LGBT propaganda".[30] However, the party considers the ban on LGBT propaganda to be an insufficient measure to encourage the family values, with the MP Shalva Kereselidze saying that the party requires "higher support from the state for the enhancement of the Georgian families", such as more state support for the regions in which the demographic situation is declining due to economic problems.[29]
