Girchi – More Freedom

Girchi — More Freedom (Georgian: გირჩი — მეტი თავისუფლება, romanized: girchi — met'i tavisupleba, lit. 'Pine cone — More Freedom') is a pro-Western libertarian political party in Georgia. It was in late 2020 founded by Zurab Japaridze, former leader of the New Political Center — Girchi, following the party split. The party is currently a member of Coalition for Change electoral alliance for the 2024 parliamentary election.

The origins of Girchi date back to 2015 when four dissenting MPs from United National Movement, including Zurab Japaridze, left the party.^[9] In 2016 Girchi was registered as a political party and it subsequently took part in the 2020 parliamentary election winning 4 seats.^[10][11] However, claiming electoral fraud Girchi refused to recognize the results and joined the boycott of the parliament.^[12]

On 4 December Japaridze announced his departure from the party in a move that Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty referred to as "unsurprising".^[13] Many observers linked Japaridze's exit to controversial comments made by party chairman Khvichia against the criminal prosecution for the possession of child pornography, although Japaridze denied those comments as the cause of the party's split.^[14][15]

On 28 December 2020, Japaridze established Girchi - More Freedom.^[16] It was officially registered on 19 February 2021.^[10] The newly formed party kept up boycotting the parliament and demanded the holding of snap elections.^[17] Per Japaridze's request his mandate was eventually revoked.^[18]

Ahead of the 2021 local elections, Girchi - More Freedom, along with 3 other opposition parties (United National Movement, European Georgia, Droa), named joint candidates in Tbilisi. Girchi - More Freedom ran candidates in Mtatsminda District, Saburtalo District, Didube District, and Nadzaladevi District.^[19] In the election, the party received 1.44% of the votes (25,467 votes) and crossed the 2.5% threshold only in the Tbilisi City Assembly, where it won one seat.^[20]

In late 2021, Girchi-MF joined protests against what they saw as rigged elections. They additionally protested against the detention of the ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili from the UNM party demanding his transfer from a prison clinic to a civic hospital. In one of the protests, the party members parked cars in front of the entrance of the State Security Service buildings all over the country with the cars having to be towed away with the politicians still inside them. Japaridze was arrested but was let go with a GEL 200 fine.^[5]

On 24 February 2023, on one-year anniversary of Russian invasion of Ukraine, Girchi - MF, along with two other opposition parties Droa and Strategy Aghmashenebeli, organized a rally in support of Ukraine protesting against what they saw as a lackluster response by the government to the war.^[21][22]

In March 2023, Girchi-MF joined protests against the proposed 'Foreign Agent' bill. Japaridze was arrested and fined GEL 2,500 for engaging in petty hooliganism.^[23] The bill was withdrawn due to the protests, however, it was reintroduced a year later, with the party also joining the second round of protests.^[24] In May 2024, Japaridze was twice ambushed by masked men near the party office. He fired a warning shot leading to the ambushers fleeing the scene. Two days prior to the incident, Japaridze’s brother Gia Japaridze was ambushed and beaten while on his way home.^[25]

On 28 November 2023, Girchi-MF, along with Droa, launched the "Ballot Box in Your City" project with the aim of opening polling stations abroad in cities where a Georgian consulate is not located.^[26] For a polling station to be opened it requires a request by at least 50 Georgian citizens.^[27] The two parties have subsequently criticized Central Election Commission for what they see as an insufficient response to the issue of emigrants voting from abroad.^[28]

On 6 September 2023, Girchi-MF created an alliance with the liberal Droa party.^[29] The two parties then further joined Coalition for Change alliance ahead of the 2024 parliamentary election.^[30] Girchi-MF is a signatory to the Georgian Charter initiated by President Salome Zourabichvili.^[31]

Girchi - More Freedom is widely regarded as a libertarian or right-libertarian party.^{[1][2][3][4][5]} It has additionally been described as liberal or classical liberal.^[1][2][7] The party’s foreign policy is viewed as being pro-Western, pro-European, and Atlanticist.^{[1][2][32][33]}

The platform of Girchi-MF advocates for political and administrative decentralization, elected judiciary and police chiefs, drug liberalization, abolishing military conscription, and doubling the military budget. On economic issues, Girchi — More Freedom supports a free market economy, tax cuts, deregulation, and the abolition of the National Bank of Georgia.^[34]

On 2 June 2022, Girchi - More Freedom became an associate member of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.^[35] On June 22, 2024, the party became a full member.^[36]

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Political parties in Georgia

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Ahali European Georgia Alliance of Patriots of Georgia Georgian Labour Party Girchi – More Freedom For the People Free Georgia

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