An hour after authorities lifted the state of emergency Friday evening, the opposition coalition gathered on the steps of parliament hoping to show that their campaign has emerged whole from the month’s severe political unrest.

“Not even one step back,” they declared, vowing to continue their campaign as the January 5 presidential election approaches.

However, they are restarting their campaign after nine days of emergency rule appearing disorganized and poorly prepared for the surprise presidential poll.

Condemning the “barbaric” shutdown of Imedi TV and other independent station on November 7 as anti-government rallies in Tbilisi were violently dispersed, coalition representatives nonetheless predicted the country would usher in Christmas, celebrated on January 7 in Georgia, with a new president.

The opposition coalition presented independent MP Levan Gachechiladze as their joint presidential candidate on November 12. If elected, they said, he would strip the presidency of its power and resign. Running mate Salome Zourabichvili, as prime minister, would presumably lead the government until the next parliamentary elections.

The coalition, formed at the end of September after protests at the controversial arrest of ex-minister Irakli Okruashvili on corruption charges, is now down to nine parties. Shortly before the coalition went public with their two-person ticket, the Labor party broke away by nominating their party chief, Shalva Natelashvili, for president.

As of Sunday, Natelashvili had not made any public statements. Labor representatives say their leader will put in a public appearance on Monday.

Asked by Rustavi 2 on Saturday to comment on the split with Labor, the opposition coalition’s Gachechiladze said his group is still ready to sit down and talk with their former allies. The focus now, however, would be on his campaign.

“Today… [President Mikheil Saakashvili] is nervous about his [support] and gave firewood to the people,” Gachechiladze said, referencing a weekend government distribution of firewood to poor rural families. “Were they not cold in previous years?”

If elected president, Gachechiladze reiterated, Georgia will become a parliamentary republic, with an independent judiciary and a free media as top civil priorities.

“I will try to undo the government’s influence in every sphere. As it stands now, you can feel their influence everywhere: in business, in education and in medicine…in Georgia, [we will make] a very good environment for business, and many people will be employed in small- and medium-sized enterprises,” he told Rustavi 2 on Saturday.

Gachechiladze’s presidential campaign will kick off Monday, he said, promising to travel around the country to meet voters.

Gachechiladze’s spokeswoman, Natia Lazashvili, told a different story on Sunday. Rather than beginning a campaign in the regions on Monday, she said, opposition coalition members will need to meet and hash out their plans.

They have still not decided what to about Imedi TV, Lazashvili added.

Imedi TV, it was announced Friday, has had its broadcast license suspended for at least three months.

“We will have a press conference this week and announce what we’re going to do,” Lazashvili promised.

There are now at least six candidates vying for the presidency: incumbent Mikheil Saakashvili, Levan Gachechiladze, former Enron economist Gia Maisashvili, New Rights leader Davit Gamkrelidze, Shalva Natelashvili, and Imedi TV founder Badri Patarkatsishvili.

Greens leader Giorgi Gachechiladze and Imedi party leader Irina Sarishvili have both said they are considering a run.

If no candidate wins over half the vote on January 25, a run-off between the top two finishers will be held two weeks later.