| New Rights Party of Georgia ახალი მემარჯვენეები |
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|---|---|
| Leader | David Gamkrelidze |
| Founded | June 15, 2001 |
| Headquarters | 3 Bevreti st., 0114, Tbilisi |
| Ideology | Liberal conservatism |
| International affiliation | IDU (Associate member) |
| European affiliation | EPP (Applied for observer status) |
| Official colours | Burgundy |
| Website | |
| http://www.nrp.ge/ | |
| Politics of Georgia Political parties Elections |
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The New Rights Party of Georgia (Akhali Memarjveneebi, ახალი მემარჯვენეები), also translated as New Conservative Party is a liberal conservative party in Georgia. It is an associate member of the International Democrat Union and applicant of the European People's Party.
On December 8, 2008, the New Rights Party joined the Republican Party of Georgia in a new opposition alliance.[1] Both parties united in "The Alliance for Georgia" led by Irakli Alasania, Georgia's ex-envoy to the United Nations in February 2009.[2]
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The idea to establish the NRP began to emerge during the time when Eduard Shevardnadze was still President and his Citizens’ Union of Georgia (CUG) was an influential force on the political stage of the country.
After formation, despite small membership, the New Faction (at that point there were only ten members) managed to significantly change the situation in the Parliament.
The original membership of the New Faction consisted of David Gamkrelidze (presently NRP chairman), Levan Gachechiladze, Pikria Chikhradze, Gia Karkarashvili, Irakli Iashvili, David Saganelidze (presently NCP Secretary General), David Koghuashvili, Dodo Shelia, George Kvirikashvili, and Valeri Kvaratskhelia.
On June 15, 2001, on the basis of the New Faction, New Movement, and Neo-Conservative Union, a new political party - the New Conservative Party of Georgia - was formed. Levan Gachechiladze was elected as NCP chairman and David Gamkrelidze as co-chairman.
In only a year from its formation, the New Conservatives achieved considerable results. In the local elections held on June 2, 2002, NCP came out first nation-wide and third in Tbilisi. After the victory in the local elections, the party set itself preparing for the parliamentary elections. A few months prior to the November 2, 2003 parliamentary elections, the NCP 2nd Congress elected David Gamkrelidze as a new chairman. The New Conservatives managed to successfully overcome the established seven percent threshold. A number of parties boycotted the November 2, 2003 election results accusing the authorities of fraud. This triggered fierce public discontent nation-wide, which eventually resulted in the toppling of Shevardnadze’s regime in the Rose Revolution.
Despite the just outrage of the people, the NCP considered it unacceptable that the government should be changed by means of street demonstrations, as they believed it to be unconstitutional.
Participating in the repeat elections of 2004, the New Conservatives passed the seven percent threshold once again. The NCP united with another center-right party – Industry will Save Georgia – and formed a Coalition Right Opposition.