Strategy Aghmashenebeli

{{Main|2016 Georgian parliamentary election}}

File:Георгій Вашадзе.jpg, the leader of Strategy Aghmashenebeli]]

On 5 May 2016, Giorgi Vashadze decided to leave United National Movement (UNM) after a conflict with its leadership. Vashadze criticized the party for "a closed system of governance" and for not innovating, while UNM mentioned his failure to secure a place in the top ten of the electoral list for the 2016 parliamentary election as the reason for his departure.{{cite web |url=https://civil.ge/archives/125450 |title=MP Quits UNM Opposition Party |publisher=Civil Georgia |date=5 May 2016 }} New Georgia was subsequently registered as a political party on 8 July 2016.

On 5 August 2016, New Georgia along with the New Rights Party and another UNM splinter party New Political Centre – Girchi announced the formation of an electoral bloc.{{cite web |url=https://civil.ge/archives/125671 |title=NPC-Girchi, New Georgia, New Rights Form Electoral Bloc |publisher=Civil Georgia |date=5 August 2016 }} Two weeks later, the parties offered Paata Burchuladze's State for the People to join the coalition, an invitation the party accepted on 18 August.{{cite web |url=https://civil.ge/archives/125557 |title=Burchuladze's Party Mulls Forming Election Bloc |publisher=Civil Georgia |date=18 August 2016 }}{{cite web |url=https://civil.ge/archives/125695 |title=Opera Singer's Party Forms Election Bloc with NPC-Girchi, New Georgia, New Rights |publisher=Civil Georgia |date=18 August 2016 }}

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 UNM lawmakers. Burchuladze claimed this was the result of "huge pressure" from the State Security Service.{{cite web |url=https://www.commonspace.eu/index.php/analysis/has-democracy-become-routine-georgia-competitive-parliamentary-election-suggests-so |title=Has democracy become routine in Georgia? A competitive parliamentary election suggests so |publisher=Common Space |date=6 October 2016 |author=Carles Jovaní }} 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.{{Cite web |url=https://civil.ge/archives/125736 |title=Burchuladze-Led Election Bloc's List of MP Candidates |date=8 September 2016 |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=Civil Georgia}}{{Cite web |url=https://civil.ge/archives/125787 |title=State for People Election Bloc's List of MP Candidates |date=28 September 2016 |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=Civil Georgia}} 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.

New Georgia ran in the 2017 local election getting a nationwide vote of 1.23% managing to elect one local councillor. Vashadze ran as the party’s candidate for the 2017 Tbilisi mayoral election finishing in the sixth place getting 1.95% of the vote.

{{see also|Strength is in Unity (political coalition)}}

File:Presidential Candidate Gregory Vashadze (United opposition "Strength in Unity") (43760168490).jpg Strength is in Unity's nominee for the 2018 presidential election]]

Ahead of the 2018 presidential election, New Georgia joined the UNM-led 10-party coalition Strength is in Unity nominating Grigol Vashadze as the joint presidential candidate.{{cite web |url=https://civil.ge/archives/246681 |title=UNM-led Coalition Picks Presidential Candidate |publisher=Civil Georgia |date=18 July 2018 }} It was nearly successful in defeating the Georgian Dream-backed independent candidate Salome Zourabichvili in the first round with Grigol Vashadze getting 37.74% of the vote compared to Zourabichvili's 40.48%.

After a stronger-than-expected performance from the opposition, Ivanishvili put together a scheme in which the debts of 600,000 Georgians would be written off and covered by his charity, in an attempt to secure Zourabichvili's victory. It was considered "an unprecedented case of vote-bribing".{{Cite web |title=Watchdogs: Signs of "Unprecedented Voter-bribing" |url=https://civil.ge/archives/266651 | date=19 November 2018 |access-date=6 June 2024 |work=Civil Georgia}} The government supported scheme was enough to boost Georgian Dream's popularity and give Zourabichvili a victory in the second round.{{cite web |url=https://eurasianet.org/opposition-challenges-results-in-georgias-presidential-election |title=Opposition challenges results in Georgia's presidential election |publisher=Eurasianet |date=29 November 2018 |author=Giorgi Lomsadze }}

File:Gavrilov's Night Day 2 - Central part.jpg protests]]

The party participated in the 2019 protests which were triggered following Sergei Gavrilov, a Russian lawmaker from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, delivering the opening speech at the Interparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy which was held in the Georgian parliament, whilst sitting in the chair of the Head of Parliament. That same day, a large protest took place in front of Parliament, which was violently dispersed by the orders of Interior Minister Giorgi Gakharia. The event became known as Gavrilov's Night.{{Cite web |title=Georgia protests: Thousands storm parliament over Russian MP's speech|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-48710042| date=21 June 2019 |access-date=6 June 2024 |work=BBC}}{{cite web | url=https://jam-news.net/who-is-the-russian-orthodox-communist-who-provoked-protests-in-tbilisi/ | title= Who is the Russian Orthodox communist who provoked protests in Tbilisi? | publisher=JAM News|date=29 June 2019}} The protests continued for months, demanding electoral reforms, snap elections, and resignations from the ruling party. Despite some concessions from Georgian Dream, such as the resignation of the chairman of parliament and the partial electoral amendments, the protests did not stop.{{Cite news|url=https://civil.ge/archives/310307|title=Ivanishvili: 2020 Polls Proportional, Zero Threshold (detailed text)|work=Civil Georgia|date=2019-06-24|access-date=2022-10-04}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/georgia-2020-parliament-vote-to-be-held-under-proportional-system----ruling-party-head/30016662.html |title=Georgia Ruling Party Head Announces Electoral Reform After Protests |work=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |date=2019-06-24 | access-date=2022-10-04}}{{cite news |title=Protests revived in Georgia following election reform failure|url=https://eurasianet.org/protests-revived-in-georgia-following-election-reform-failure|work=Eurasianet |date=2019-11-15|access-date=2022-10-04}}

{{Main|2020 Georgian parliamentary election|2020–2021 Georgian political crisis}}

On 15 July 2020, New Georgia left Strength is in Unity following the coalition's rejection of the prime ministerial candidacy of Giorgi Vashadze for the 2020 parliamentary election.{{Cite web |url=https://civil.ge/archives/359651 |title=The Daily Dispatch – July 15 |date=July 16, 2020 |access-date=2023-01-04 |website=Civil Georgia}} New Georgia and Tako Charkviani's Law and Justice subsequently formed their own electoral bloc, Strategy Aghmashenebeli.{{Cite web |url=https://civil.ge/archives/364090 |title=A New Twist as UNM Names Isani Majoritarian |date=August 28, 2020 |access-date=2023-01-04 |website=Civil Georgia}} New Georgia changed its name to Strategy Aghmashenebeli as well. Under the new temporary 1% electoral threshold, The coalition went on to win 4 seats in the election finishing in the 5th place.

File:Protests in Tbilisi against contested election results (4).jpg in Tbilisi against contested election results]]

In the aftermath of the election, Strategy Aghmashenebeli joined all other political parties in refusing to recognize the electoral results after allegations of voter fraud surfaced, boycotting majoritarian runoffs and entering the parliament.{{Cite web |url=https://civil.ge/archives/380014 |title=All Opposition Parties Refuse to Enter Next Parliament |date=November 2, 2020 |access-date=2023-01-04 |website=Civil Georgia}} The party backed negotiations with Georgian Dream facilitated by the Western countries.{{Cite web |url=https://civil.ge/archives/393478 |title=Boycotting Opposition Parties Call on GD to Resume Talks |date=February 26, 2021 |access-date=2023-01-04 |website=Civil Georgia}} On March 1, 2021, President of the European Council Charles Michel launched new negotiations between Georgian Dream and the opposition to put an end to the political crisis.{{Cite web |url=https://civil.ge/archives/405688 |title=GD, Opposition Talk Expectations as Danielsson Holds Meetings |date=March 13, 2021 |access-date=2023-01-04 |website=Civil Georgia}} The sides reached an agreement on April 19, with the party signing the deal and entering the parliament.{{Cite web |url=https://civil.ge/archives/414150 |title=Georgian Dream, Opposition, Except for UNM, EG, Sign EU Proposal |date=April 19, 2021 |access-date=2023-01-04 |website=Civil Georgia}}

In 2021, Strategy Aghmashenebeli, along with Free Democrats and Republican Party of Georgia, announced the formation of the Third Force coalition.{{cite web |url=https://civil.ge/archives/437816 |title=Local Polls: Smaller Opposition Parties Form the 'Third Force' |publisher=Civil Georgia |date=30 August 2021 }} Third Force ran in the 2021 local elections receiving 1.34% of the vote.{{cite web |url=https://civil.ge/archives/446355 |title=2021 Municipal Elections: Outcomes, Winners, Trends |publisher=Civil Georgia |date=6 October 2021 }} Tamar Kekenadze was nominated as the coalition's candidate for the 2021 Tbilisi mayoral election receiving 0.59% of the vote and finishing in the 9th place.

Strategy Aghmashenebeli supported protests held in June 2022 calling for the resignation of PM Irakli Garibashvili and the formation of an interim technocratic government citing the government’s failure to get EU candidate status.{{cite web |url=https://civil.ge/archives/498494 |title=Georgian Dream, Opposition, Activists Debate Interim Govt Proposal |publisher=Civil Georgia |date=28 June 2022 }} On 24 February 2023, on one-year anniversary of Russian invasion of Ukraine, Strategy Aghmashenebeli, along with two other opposition parties Girchi - More Freedom and Droa, organized a rally in support of Ukraine protesting against what they saw as a lacklustre response by the government to the war.{{cite web |url=https://civil.ge/archives/527065 |title=The Daily Beat: 23 February |publisher=Civil Georgia |date=24 February 2023 }}{{cite web |url=https://civil.ge/archives/527332 |title=The Daily Beat: 24 February – Slava Ukraini! |publisher=Civil Georgia |date=25 February 2023 }} The party additionally supported the Russian law protests in 2023, and then once again in 2024.{{cite web |url=https://1tv.ge/lang/en/news/strategy-agmashenebeli-leader-urges-protesters-to-encircle-parliament-building/ |title=Strategy Agmashenebeli leader urges protesters to encircle parliament building |publisher=1TV |date=8 March 2023 }}{{cite web |url=https://civil.ge/archives/600208 |title=The Daily Beat: 18 April |publisher=Civil Georgia |date=19 April 2024 |author=George Paniashvili }}

File:Unity - National Movement Congress.jpg]]

On 20 July 2023, Strategy Aghmashenebeli joined the UNM-led political coalition titled Victory Platform.{{cite web |url=https://jam-news.net/platform-of-victory/ |title="Platform of Victory" - Two opposition parties in Georgia present a new political platform |publisher=JAM News |date=24 July 2023 }} The alliance was later renamed to Unity - To Save Georgia (which was itself altered to Unity – National Movement).{{Cite web |date=2024-07-08 |title=UNM, Strategy Aghmashenebeli Announce Political Platform: 'Unity – to Save Georgia' |url=https://civil.ge/archives/615635 |access-date=2024-09-12 |website=Civil Georgia |language=en-US}} On 17 August, European Georgia joined the coalition.{{cite web |url=https://civil.ge/archives/621000 |title=Opposition Coalitions Continue to Expand |publisher=Civil Georgia |date=19 August 2024 }} Strategy Aghmashenebeli, along with the other parties in the coalition, is a signatory to the Georgian Charter initiated by the president Zourabichvili that sets out goals for a possible future government.{{cite web |date=3 June 2024 |title=Opposition Parties Sign Georgian Charter |url=https://civil.ge/archives/611114 |publisher=Civil Georgia}}

The party is generally viewed as being centrist and liberal.{{cite web |url=https://georgiatoday.ge/overview-of-political-alliances-for-georgias-2024-parliamentary-elections/ |title=Overview of Political Alliances for Georgia's 2024 Parliamentary Elections |publisher=Georgia Today |date=10 October 2024 }} Some sources however have classified the party as centre-right. It is generally viewed as being more socially conservative than UNM whilst still being in the liberal-right corner. The party is seen as sharing "a balanced view of right-wing and left-wing election issues".{{cite web |url=https://iset-pi.ge/en/blog/77-right-or-left-what-are-political-parties-economic-visions |title=Right or Left: What Are Political Parties' Economic Visions? |publisher=International School of Economics at TSU (ISET) |date=26 October 2020 }} The party supports shrinking the size of the government and deregulating education. Its ideology has further being labeled as progressivism and reformism. In foreign policy, the party is viewed as being pro-European and pro-NATO.

{{Reflist}}

{{Georgian political parties}}

Category:2016 establishments in Georgia (country)

Category:Liberal parties in Georgia (country)

Category:Political parties established in 2016

Category:Pro-European political parties in Georgia (country)