People's Power Emerges from Georgian Dream's Shadow, Eyes Electoral Success
On March 18, the political movement People’s Power, which emerged from the ruling Georgian Dream, officially registered as a political party.
Before the congress commenced, Viktor Japaridze addressed journalists regarding the party’s objectives. He stated, "Unlike other parties that merely aim to attain power, our focus is on surpassing the 5% threshold. Then the journalist asked: "Would you consider forming a coalition with Georgian Dream?" He answered: "Certainly, who else? Align with the UNM [United National Movement]? Heaven forbid."
"Our primary goal is to hold the incumbent regime accountable for its nine-year tenure, to prosecute the National Movement party, and to bring transparency to all matters, including the war and other affairs," Irakli (Dachi) Beraia, another party member, remarked expressing optimism about the party's electoral prospects. "We're not merely aiming to scrape by the 5% threshold, are we?" he added.
Notably, the People’s Power movement, founded in 2022 by former Georgian Dream (GD) party members, emerged as a platform critical of Western influence in Georgia. It advocated for restrictions on foreign-funded civil society organizations but faced significant opposition, leading to the abandonment of its "Foreign Agents" bill in March 2023.