David Usupashvili said he splits the ways with his political home of more then 25 years, which he has also chaired in 2005-2013.
He quoted "political, value, and tactical" disagreements with the party leadership and its founders regarding the political future of the Republicans, which failed to clear the election threshold in recent Parliamentary elections garnering only 1.55% of the votes in the proportional contest. Party leaders, including Usupashvili, have also failed to win the majoritarian contests.
Speaking at the special briefing convened in the Parliament, Usupashvili pledged to remain "very active in the opposition political field". Responding to question about his rumored appointment to the Constitutional Court, he excluded taking up any civil service or other positions, expressing his determination to remain active in politics.
Usupashvili said the Republican party founders and leadership have decided to pursue the path, which "would further reduce the impact of the party on the civic and political processes", although noted that he decided not to contest these decisions out of "respect to the party founders, taking into account their very special role in Georgia`s political development and thus recognizing their primacy in taking the decisions that pertain to the party future".
Speaking about his plans, Usupashvili said in the coming two or three months he would consult all those political actors, that "have not tired of working for independent, free, European, democratic Georgia". Outlining his vision he said country`s political future can not be shaped "either by political conglomerates that have fused with the administrative bureaucracy, nor by the political groupings united around their past sins, nor by small groupings of friends", pointing finger at the governing Georgian Dream (GDDG), opposition United National Movement (UNM) and smaller opposition parties.
"The 2020 elections should be won by a political force of the new type, which would have full capacities for governing the country and will carry in its genetic code the values of multi-party democracy", adding Usupashvili pointing potentially to his intention to create a new political force. When challenged by the reporters, he has declined to discuss any specifics.
In conclusion, he has thanked The Republicans, its leaders and expressed hope of continued cooperation in their new roles. "It is no time to losing our spirits and hopes…but to strengthen our combat for…liberal democracy", Usupashvili said.
Several smaller pro-European parties – including Irakli Alasania’s Free Democrats, UNM spin-off the New Political Centre and the stillborn State for the People of singer Paata Burchuladze have imploded failing to clear the election threshold in the first round of the parliamentary elections on 8 October. The Georgian Dream is expected to command an overwhelming majority following the runoffs scheduled for tomorrow, 30 October, opposed by the UNM. The nativist Alliance of Patriots will have 6 MPs in the new parliament, having narrowly cleared the election threshold.
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