"Calls for abstention from participating in elections following the granting of clemency to Georgian political leaders"

In a surprising turn of events, the President of Georgia has granted a pardon to opposition leaders Mamuka Khazaradze and Badri Japaridze, leaders of the "Lelo - Strong Georgia" coalition, on July 31, 2023. This decision has sparked a flurry of political discussions, with the opposition parties viewing this move as an attempt by Georgian Dream to legitimize the local elections scheduled for October 4.

Mikheil Kavelashvili, president of Georgian Dream, explained the pardon as a means to prevent anyone from claiming the local elections are taking place under uncompetitive conditions. Guram Macharashvili, an MP from People's Power (a satellite party of Georgian Dream), stated that the decision was made so that the opposition could not later claim they were unable to participate in the elections due to imprisonment.

However, the opposition parties are not convinced. Giorgi Butikashvili, from the Coalition for Change, suggests there might have been a non-verbal deal regarding the legitimization of parliamentary and local elections, but no direct deal was made, and the leaders of their party are not expected to be pardoned. Butikashvili also criticizes the discrepancy between imprisoning young men and women for two years and Lelo running an election campaign focused on water supply, which is perceived as being at odds with public sentiment and the situation provoked by Georgian Dream.

Elene Khoshtaria, a member of the Coalition for Change, has appealed to Mamuka and Badri to make a decision that she believes is right for the country, without specifying what that decision is. The opposition is calling on the coalition's leadership not to participate in the local elections.

Petre Tsiskarishvili, from the United National Movement, believes that a truly convincing step would have been to pardon Mikheil Saakashvili before the parliamentary elections to ensure a competitive environment. Tamar Chugoshvili, from the Federalists, urges Lelo to return to a path of unity and challenge Bidzina Ivanishvili, as the pardon of opposition leaders is seen as a move to secure legitimacy for the local elections on October 4.

Representatives of Georgian Dream have called the president's pardon of opposition leaders a "humane act." As the political landscape in Georgia continues to evolve, the impact of this decision on the upcoming local elections remains to be seen.

"Calls for abstention from participating in elections following the granting of clemency to Georgian political leaders"