Georgia's Georgian Dream aims to shut down opposition party

Georgia's ruling party, Georgian Dream, has announced its intention to ban the United National Movement (UNM), the largest opposition party, if it secures victory in the upcoming parliamentary elections on October 26. The UNM, founded by former president Mikheil Saakashvili, has been a significant political force despite Saakashvili's imprisonment on charges of power abuse. His deteriorating health in custody has drawn attention from human rights organizations advocating for his release on medical grounds. In a statement released on Tuesday, Georgian Dream accused the UNM of being responsible for the 2008 Russia-Georgia war and suggested, without evidence, that the party seeks to instigate further conflict amid the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. The ruling party emphasized that if it achieves a constitutional majority, it will pursue legal measures to declare the UNM and its affiliated parties unconstitutional, framing this as a necessary step to protect Georgia's constitutional order and territorial integrity. Additionally, Georgian Dream plans to introduce legislation similar to Russia's laws that restrict LGBTQ+ rights, a move that has raised alarms among the European Union and human rights advocates. The party also expressed intentions to amend the constitution to "peacefully restore" Georgia's territorial integrity, raising concerns among opposition groups about potential concessions to Russia regarding the breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. As the parliamentary elections approach, six opposition parties have united in their efforts to challenge Georgian Dream, accusing the ruling party of undermining Georgia's aspirations for European Union membership.