UNM’s Party List of MP Candidates

United National Movement (UNM) opposition party unveiled on July 23 its party list of MP candidates, who will be contesting in a proportional system in the October 8 parliamentary elections.

UNM presented top ten candidates on its party list in May and it remains unchanged, led by MP Davit Bakradze, followed by Helen Khoshtaria, who is also a majoritarian MP candidate in Tbilisi’s Vake single-mandate constituency; Roman Gotsiridze; Nika Melia; Giorgi Tugushi; Otar Kakhidze; Salome Samadashvili; Irakli Abesadze; Sergi Kapanadze, and MP Sergo Ratiani, who is also a majoritarian MP candidate in one of the constituencies of Tbilisi’s Gldani district.

Other candidates in the list, unveiled on July 23, are:

  1. MP Giorgi Kandelaki;
  2. Lela Keburia, former head of the Education Ministry’s resource center in Zugdidi;
  3. MP Akaki Bobokhidze;
  4. Giga Bokeria, UNM’s foreign secretary; Georgia’s deputy foreign minister in 2008-2010, and National Security Council secretary in 2010-2013;
  5. Tengiz Gunava, former chief of police in Samegrelo region and ex-governor of the same region during Mikheil Saakashvili’s presidency;
  6. MP Irma Nadirashvili;
  7. Mamuka Chikovani, who is also a majoritarian candidate in one of Rustavi’s two single-mandate constituencies; he ran for Rustavi mayor in 2014, but was defeated by ruling GD coalition candidate;
  8. MP Tinatin Bokuchava;
  9. MP Giorgi Tevdoradze;
  10. Zurab Tchiaberashvili, who is also a majoritarian MP candidate in Sagarejo single-mandate constituency; he was Georgia’s ambassador to Switzerland and then served as healthcare minister and governor of Kakheti region under ex-President Saakashvili’s administration;
  11. Lasha Damenia, head of UNM’s regional branch in Zugdidi;
  12. MP Khatuna Gogorishvili;
  13. Nikoloz Nakopia;
  14. MP Zaza Kedelashvili;
  15. MP Azer Suleimanov – he will also run for re-election as a majoritarian MP from Marneuli single-mandate constituency;
  16. MP Gigi Tsereteli;
  17. MP Giorgi Gviniashvili – he will also run for re-election as a majoritarian MP from Gurjaani constituency;
  18. Nino Kalandadze, director of the Tbilisi-based Saakashvili Presidential Library; she was deputy foreign minister in 2008-2012;
  19. MP Omar Megrelidze;
  20. Arsen Karapetian, former chief of police in Ninotsminda, who is also UNM’s majoritarian MP candidate in a single-mandate constituency uniting Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda municipalities;
  21. MP Mikheil Machavariani;
  22. Ex-MP Badri Basishvili, who will also run as a majoritarian MP candidate in a single-mandate constituency in Gori;
  23. MP Zurab Chilingarashvili;
  24. MP Eka Kherkheulidze;
  25. MP Levan Tarkhnishvili;
  26. Dimitri Dzagnidze, a lawyer who was deputy head of presidential administration and president’s parliamentary secretary in 2012-2013
  27. Davit Gogokhia, an activist from UNM-affiliated group Free Zone;
  28. Levan Korjakhia, a member of Zugdidi’s city council (Sakrebulo);
  29. Mamuka Sagareishvili, a member of local council in Tskaltubo;
  30. Sophio Siukaeva, a member of local council in Terjola;
  31. Nino Kvitaishvili, a former public school principal;
  32. MP Davit Darchiashvili;
  33. Khatuna Berdzenishvili, a former head of Krtsanisi district in Tbilisi;
  34. Lali Raminashvili, a former principal of one of Tbilisi’s public schools;
  35. Besik Kvitsiani, head of UNM’s local branch in Tbilisi’s Isani district, who will also run as a majoritarian MP candidate in the same district;
  36. Beso Tserediani, a former official from the ministry in charge of IDPs;
  37. Konstantine Mikeladze;
  38. Zviad Dushmanashvili, a member of local council in Kvareli;
  39. Gevork Shushanian, UNM member from Samtskhe-Javakheti region;
  40. Tamar Dalakishvili, a member of local council in Tetritskaro;
  41. Otar Siradze, a former governor of Racha-Lechkhumi region;
  42. Lasha Imerlishvili, head of UNM’s local branch in Tbilisi’s Mtatsminda district;
  43. Natalia Babukhadia;
  44. Roin Makharoblidze, who is also UNM’s majoritarian MP candidate in Khashuri single-mandate constituency;
  45. Bakur Mgeladze, a member of local council (Sakrebulo) in Dmanisi;
  46. Levan Bagashvili, a member of local council in Dedoplistskaro

Georgia has a mixed electoral system in which 73 lawmakers are elected in 73 single-member constituencies, known in Georgia as “majoritarian” mandates (a candidate has to win over 50% of votes in order to be an outright winner otherwise a second round should be held), and rest 77 seats are allocated proportionally under the party-list contest among political parties, which clear 5% threshold in nationwide popular vote.

Candidates ranked higher on their respective party’s list of MP candidates have more chances of being elected in the Parliament if that party clears 5% threshold in nationwide vote.

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