Georgia’s Constitutional Court, based in the coastal city of Batumi, starts hearing the lawsuit filed by 88 MPs of the ruling Georgian Dream party seeking to ban five major opposition forces: United National Movement (UNM), Coalition for Change, Lelo/Strong Georgia, Federalists, and Gakharia’s For Georgia. The first hearings are scheduled for October 21, 22, and 23.
The hearings will start at 12 pm and will be livestreamed on the court’s YouTube channel, as well as by the Georgian Public Broadcaster, which is the only media authorized to film the proceedings. Representatives of four of the five targeted parties – UNM, Coalition for Change, Lelo/Strong Georgia, and For Georgia – will be in the courtroom pleading their cases, while the Federalists said they will be “mocking” the proceedings from outside so as not to legitimize the process, even as they plan to stay in Batumi as part of the party’s campaign.
The court’s seven-judge plenum, seen as dominated by the ruling party loyalists, will be hearing the case, after one judge – Manana Kobakhidze – resigned after being denied her recusal request.
The proceedings have drawn widespread scrutiny and local and international criticism as an attack on democracy and political pluralism. The proceedings come as part of Georgian Dream’s broader crackdown on dissent, including funding restrictions on media and civil society, criminal proceedings against opposition leaders, and a series of laws restricting political activities for broader groups.
All times are local.
October 21, 2026:
13:50 – Constitutional Court Rejects Motions Filed by UNM, Lelo, and For Georgia
Judge Nadaria, reading out the Constitutional Court plenum’s decision, announced that the court had rejected the recusal motions filed by the United National Movement (UNM) and Lelo–Strong Georgia.
In addition, the court did not grant the motion announced yesterday by Gakharia’s For Georgia party, requesting that the case against it be examined separately from the broader lawsuit.
13:00 – The Court Retires to Deliberate on Recusal Motions
The court has retired to deliberate on the recusal motions of UNM and Lelo.
The UNM is demanding the recusal of the entire composition of the Constitutional Court plenum. The party’s representative, Ana Tsitlidze, said the Constitutional Court “is neither free nor fair and does not act in accordance with the Constitution of Georgia.”
Lelo has also filed a motion to recuse three judges. According to Lelo representative Kakhi Samkharadze, one of them, Vasil Roinishvili, took part as a supervising prosecutor in the case of Sergeant Roin Shavadze, who was killed after his arrest in Batumi in 2008, and whose initial investigation the European Court of Human Rights found lacked independence and impartiality. Lelo also requested the recusal of Goga Kikilashvili and Sergo Metopishvili, two judges recently appointed by Georgian Dream, questioning their independence.
12:50 – Rally Held Outside Constitutional Court
Meanwhile, in parallel with the hearing, the political party Freedom Square has organized a protest outside the Constitutional Court. “Freedom Square is not among the parties facing a ban, but that makes no difference to us. When injustice occurs, we will fight against it, regardless of whether it directly affects us or not,” party leader Levan Tsutskiridze told journalists ahead of the hearing.
12:40 – List of Political Party Representatives
The following representatives of Georgia’s political parties are participating in the Constitutional Court hearing:
- UNM is represented by Ani Tsitlidze, Khatia Dekanoidze, Levan Bezhashvili, Zaza Bibilashvili and Irakli Pavlenishvili;
- Coalition for Change is represented by Nika Gvaramia, Tengo Tevzadze, Maia Kopaleishvili, Giga Lemonjava, Marika Arevadze;
- For Georgia is represented by Ana Buchukuri, Berdia Sitchinava, Irakli Ksovreli;
- Lelo/ Strong Georgia is represented by Mikheil Sharashidze, Kakhi Samkharadze, Tornike Artkmeladze, Badri Japaridze, Giorgi Soridze and Irakli Kupradze;
- Georgian Dream is represented by: Giorgi Kakhiani, Archil Gorduladze, Tornike Cheishvili, Tengiz Sharmanashvili.
The Federalists will not participate in the hearings.
12:30 – Hearing Opens
The first hearing opens in Batumi. The seven-judge plenum presiding over the case includes:
- Giorgi Modebadze, Judge, appointed by GD-elected President Mikheil Kavelashvili in 2025
- Giorgi Tevdorashvili, Judge, appointed by President Salome Zourabichvili in 2021
- Sergo Metopishvili, Judge, selected by the Supreme Court plenum in 2026
- Revaz Nadaraia, Constitutional Court Chairman, selected by the Supreme Court plenum in 2025.
- Vasil Roinishvili, Judge, selected by the Supreme Court plenum in 2020
- Eva Gotsiridze, Judge, elected by the Georgian Dream-led parliament in 2017.
- Goga Kikilashvili, Judge, appointed by GD-elected President Mikheil Kavelashvili in 2026
11:00 – CSOs Condemn Opposition Ban Proceedings
19 Georgian civil society organizations condemned Georgian Dream’s constitutional lawsuit in a joint statement, calling it “a direct continuation of the ruling party’s undemocratic and repressive policies” and “a new, extremely grave stage of the country’s ongoing autocratization.”
The organizations described the lawsuits as “completely unfounded” and contrary to Georgia’s Constitution and European legal standards. They argued that the cases rely on a legally invalid parliamentary commission report and misrepresent legitimate democratic activities, including government criticism, parliamentary boycotts, peaceful protests and appeals to international partners, as attempts to overthrow the constitutional order.
The organizations said the lawsuits come amid the “systematic persecution of political opponents, critical media and civil society.” They warned that banning opposition parties would strip hundreds of thousands of voters of political representation and “formally establish a one-party dictatorship.”
