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Ahali

Ahali (Georgian: ახალი, romanized: akhali; lit. 'New') is a liberal pro-European political party in Georgia. It was founded in 2024 by Nika Melia, former chairman of United National Movement, and Nika Gvaramia, former CEO of Mtavari Arkhi TV channel.[9][10] It was a part of Coalition for Change political alliance for the 2024 parliamentary election, receiving 10 seats in the Georgian parliament.[11]

Ahali
ახალი
LeaderNika Gvaramia
Nika Melia
Founded11 March 2024
Split fromUnited National Movement
Preceded byState for the People[1]
Ideology
Political positionCentre[7] to centre-right[8]
National affiliationCoalition for Change (since 2024)
Colors  Green and   Orange
Seats in Parliament
10 / 150
Municipal Councilors
57 / 2,068
Seats In Tbilisi City Assembly
2 / 50
Website
ahaliparty.com

History

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The leaders of Ahali Nika Gvaramia (left) and Nika Melia (right)

Ahali was founded on 11 March 2024 by two prominent opposition figures Nika Melia and Nika Gvaramia. Melia was the chairman of United National Movement from 2020 to 2023, with him being expelled from the party after losing a controversial leadership race in 2023, while Gvaramia was the founder and CEO of Mtavari Arkhi, a popular opposition TV channel.[9] Ahali did not register as a new party, rather they transformed an existing State for the People party into their own. Gvaramia and Melia were registered as co-chairs of Ahali.[12]

On 5 April, Ahali, along with six other pro-Western parties, issued a joint statement condemning Georgian Dream’s reintroduction of the Foreign Agents bill with them describing the move as a "betrayal of Georgia’s European path".[13] The party subsequently joined "Russian Law" protests.[14]

On 3 June, Ahali signed the Georgian Charter initiated by President Salome Zourabichvili in an attempt to consolidate the pro-Western opposition and set out their post-election manifesto.[15] Ahali, along with five other opposition parties, additionally signed "Declaration of Unity" paper to further consolidate the opposition ahead of the 2024 parliamentary election.[16]

Since formal coalitions were banned, Ahali created an informal coalition with two parties Girchi – More Freedom and Droa announcing they would be fielding their candidates on Ahali’s party list.[17] Ahali was subsequently renamed to Coalition for Change.[11] Later on, Republican Party and Activists for the Future movement joined the coalition.[18]

Ideology

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Ahali is described as a centrist liberal party with a pro-European foreign policy.[2][3][5] Gvaramia has positioned Ahali as a "centrist party with a slight right-wing bias" with him railing against what he sees as a left-wing shift of UNM, the largest opposition party and also the party from which Ahali is a splinter off.[19]

Seats in Municipal assemblies

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Municipal Council Seats
Tbilisi[20]
2 / 50
Signagi[21]
2 / 36
Telavi[22]
1 / 39
Kaspi[23]
6 / 30
Tsageri[24]
3 / 30
Chiatura[25]
5 / 36
Kutaisi[26]
7 / 35
Khobi[24]
10 / 36
Zugdidi[27]
14 / 45
Batumi[28]
7 / 35

Electoral performance

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Parliamentary election

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Election Leader Votes % Seats +/– Position Government Coalition
2024 Nika Melia
Nika Gvaramia 		229,152 11.03
10 / 150
 New 2nd Opposition Coalition for Change

References

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  1. ^ "გვარამიამ და მელიამ პაატა ბურჭულაძის დაფუძნებული პარტია გადაიფორმეს". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 2024-09-14.
  2. ^ a b c d Federico Baccini (24 April 2024). ""Georgian Dream actually is Russian dream". Strasbourg welcomes liberal pro-European opposition". EU News.
  3. ^ a b "Georgian Dream names opposition parties they intend to ban". OC Media. 23 August 2024.
  4. ^ [2][3]
  5. ^ a b c "Parties, Parliaments and Polling Averages: Georgia". Europe Elects.
  6. ^ [2][5]
  7. ^ [2][5]
  8. ^ "Georgia's pro-EU parties unite in bid to oust government". Caliber.Az. 25 June 2024. The declaration was backed by leaders of the largest opposition party in parliament, the United National Movement, along with the liberal Lelo, libertarian Girchi, and centre-right Ahali parties. However, pro-EU parties like For Georgia and the European Socialists did not sign the agreement after prolonged negotiations.
  9. ^ a b "Nika Gvaramia, Nika Melia Present "Ahali" Political Alliance". Civil Georgia. 11 March 2024.
  10. ^ "ნიკა გვარამიამ და ნიკა მელიამ "ახალი" პარტია შექმნეს". radiotavisupleba.ge (in Georgian). March 11, 2024.
  11. ^ a b "Name change for 'Akhali' party: "Coalition for Change – Gvaramia, Melia, Girchi, Droa"". Georgia Today. 5 August 2024.
  12. ^ "გვარამიამ და მელიამ პაატა ბურჭულაძის დაფუძნებული პარტია გადაიფორმეს". Radio Tavisufleba. 16 July 2024.
  13. ^ George Paniashvili (6 April 2024). "The Daily Beat: 5 April". Civil Georgia.
  14. ^ George Paniashvili (19 April 2024). "The Daily Beat: 18 April". Civil Georgia.
  15. ^ "Opposition Parties Sign Georgian Charter". Civil Georgia. 3 June 2024.
  16. ^ "Six Opposition Parties Sign "Declaration of Unity"". Civil Georgia. 25 June 2024.
  17. ^ "Ahali, Girchi-More Freedom and Droa Unite Ahead of Polls". Civil Georgia. 9 July 2024.
  18. ^ "Republican Party, Activists for Future join Coalition for Change". 1TV. 18 August 2024.
  19. ^ "Wednesday, March 13, Georgia. "The Georgian NGOs disappointed the USA," suggests the PMi, but the State Department did not say this". JAM News. 13 March 2024.
  20. ^ ""ნაციონალურ მოძრაობას" ტოვებს თბილისის ორგანიზაციების 300-მდე წევრი, მათ შორის საკრებულოს წევრები". radiotavisupleba.ge (in Georgian). 2023-12-10. Retrieved 2024-06-18.
  21. ^ ""ნაციონალური მოძრაობა" დატოვა პარტიის 15-მა წევრმა კახეთში" (in Georgian). 2023-12-07. Retrieved 2024-06-23.
  22. ^ "ენმ თელავის საკრებულოს წევრმა დატოვა". Netgazeti (in Georgian). 2022-07-13. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
  23. ^ ""ნაციონალური მოძრაობის" კასპის რაიონული ორგანიზაცია წევრების უმრავლესობამ, ხოლო კასპის საკრებულოს ფრაქცია ექვსმა წევრმა დატოვა". 1tv.ge (in Georgian). 2023-12-07. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  24. ^ a b "ხობის და ცაგერის ენმ-ის ფრაქციები გაუქმდა – დეპუტატები პარტია ახალს შეუერთდნენ". Tabula (in Georgian). March 29, 2024. Retrieved 2023-02-17.
  25. ^ "Five UNM faction members quit Chiatura Municipality Sakrebulo". 1tv.ge. 2023-12-05. Retrieved 2024-06-22.
  26. ^ "ქუთაისის საკრებულოს ყოფილი "ნაციონალი" წევრები "ახალს" უერთდებიან". netgazeti.ge (in Georgian). March 28, 2024.
  27. ^ "ზუგდიდის საკრებულოში, ფრაქცია "ენმ" სახელი შეიცვალა - მისი სახელწოდებაა "ახალი"". interpressnews (in Georgian). April 4, 2024.
  28. ^ "ბათუმის საკრებულოს 7-მა წევრმა "ნაციონალური მოძრაობა" დატოვა". radiotavisupleba.ge (in Georgian). 2023-12-04. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
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