MP Gubaz Sanikidze, one of the founders of opposition National Forum party, said on November 11 that he quits the party but stays in politics “to actively participate” in the activities of those opposition parties, who failed to enter the Parliament through the October 8 parliamentary elections.
“Today I have decided to quit the National Forum, but it does not mean that I am quitting Georgian politics,” Sanikidze said at a news briefing adding that he needs some time to hold consultations with other political forces on future cooperation.
The National Forum, which was founded in December 2006, came to power in October 2012 as a part of the Georgian Dream coalition and quit the coalition in April 2016, after it was announced that members of the ruling coalition would not run under the joint ticket in the October, 2016 parliamentary elections. The National Forum garnered 0.73% of votes in the elections.
Among former coalition partners, Gubaz Sanikidze is not the first politician, who quit own party following defeat in the October parliamentary elections – six leading members quit opposition Free Democrats party (4.63% of votes) and its leader Irakli Alasania announced about “temporary quitting” politics; Republican Party was quitted by its leader and incumbent parliamentary chairman, Davit Usupashvili as well as some other members (1.55% of votes); leader of Industrialists party (0.78% of votes), Zurab Tkemaladze said that he quits active politics.
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