On February 5, the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party revoked the parliamentary mandates of 49 opposition MPs from three political alliances, triggering accusations of repression from opposition leaders, while GD defended the move as necessary to prevent "political sabotage."

The revoked mandates included 19 seats from the Coalition for Change (Gvaramia, Melia, Girchi, Droa), 16 from Unity – United National Movement (UNM), and 14 from Strong Georgia (Lelo, For the People, For Freedom!).

Immediately after the decision, three GD MPs announced their departure from the party, forming a "new opposition parliamentary group" based on the European Socialists parliamentary faction.

Opposition Reactions: Warnings of Repression

Opposition leaders strongly condemned GD’s actions, warning of escalating political repression.

Irakli Kupradze, a leader of Strong Georgia, accused GD’s honorary chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili of acting under Kremlin orders to eliminate politicians engaged in civil resistance.

"Ivanishvili has orders from the Kremlin to neutralize all politicians who play a significant role in civil resistance and protests," Kupradze stated.

Khatia Dekanoidze of UNM emphasized the opposition’s determination to continue its struggle:

"The key objective is to push this regime toward its downfall. That is our main goal."

Meanwhile, Tengo Tevzadze from the Coalition for Change asserted:

"No instrument or leverage can be used by Georgian Dream to pressure us—not arrests, imprisonment, or even taking people hostage."

The Gakharia – For Georgia party, which won 12 seats in the October 26 election, refused to recognize the parliament’s legitimacy and abstained from legislative activities but had not formally requested the termination of its mandates.

GD parliamentary majority leader Mamuka Mdinaradze accused opposition MPs of using their mandates as a "tool for political sabotage," justifying GD’s decision.

"They [the opposition] really want to enter parliament but are not free to do so. If we allow this precedent again, as we did before, they will remain in sabotage mode indefinitely—until they win. And ‘Natsi’ [a derogatory term for the UNM] will never win in Georgia," Mdinaradze stated.

Zourabichvili’s Condemnation: "Political Life in Georgia Has Ended"

Following a February 5 meeting with EU ambassadors and four opposition political forces, Georgia's 5th President Salome Zourabichvili condemned GD’s decision, declaring that by terminating opposition mandates, "political life in Georgia has ended."

She urged international pressure on the GD government to call new elections, stating:

"As of today, their [49 opposition politicians’] mandates have been revoked. One of the key messages we discussed with our European partners was that political life in Georgia has effectively ended because there is no longer any political space."

Zourabichvili further asserted:

"The constitution no longer exists, and no rights are protected—neither the right to free expression nor the right of assembly."

The President called for intensified international pressure on the GD government, arguing that:

"Just as repression has resumed here, so should pressure from our partners on this Ivanishvili regime—a Russian-style regime—to ensure that elections are held."

She also maintained that the downfall of the GD government was inevitable:

"There is no country or historical example where a regime is completely isolated from both its population and its international partners and continues to rule in this way."

Zourabichvili urged Western allies to classify the GD government as a "Russian-style dictatorship" and push for new elections.

"There must be a joint demand from us and our partner countries for elections to take place," she insisted.

Criticism of GD’s Policies: "Foreign Policy No Longer Exists"

Criticizing GD’s recent legislative moves, Zourabichvili described them as "nothing but repressive."

She also denounced the government’s foreign policy, arguing that it had been reduced to symbolic meetings and empty gestures.

"Foreign policy no longer exists," she said, referring to official visits as mere "handshakes with someone" that yield no tangible results.

Additionally, she claimed that Georgia’s economy had stagnated, investments had halted, and agreements were being signed without transparency regarding their implementation.

"Some memorandum is being signed as if billions are about to flow into the country—without any clarity on in what form, when, or for what purpose," she stated.