Ex-President advices his party to include more women

Georgia’s former President Mikheil Saakashvili, who is wanted in Georgia and currently serves as the Governor of Odessa in Ukraine, has advised his team to include more women.

He also recommended that half of the United National Movement (UNM) election list for the upcoming parliamentary elections be composed of women.

“The first thing would be having women as making up half of the party’s election list, which would underline the role of women in Georgian society. It will objectively encourage refreshment and prepare us for inevitable victory in October’s election,” Saakashvili wrote on his Facebook page.

The ex-President, who ruled Georgia with the UNM leadership for nine years, wrote it would not be hard to find enough honourable women in Georgia.

The UNM said it was discussing the initiative, especially as dozens of NGOs are demanding quotas for women in the legislative body.

Local media reports that famous Georgian pianist Khatia Buniatishvili and political expert Elene Khoshtaria will allegedly appear on the list.

With regards to new male faces, the media says that the former head of the National Bank of Georgia, Giorgi Kadagidze - whose term wit the NGB has expired - and an expert of economics, Roman Gotsiridze (also a former head of the National Bank) will refresh the UNM.

Without new faces, it will be hard for the UNM party to achieve success in the upcoming elections.

If the UNM fails to at least take second place in the race, it will be a major signal for the party’s future downfall.

Herewith, the renewed team should distance itself from Saakashvili and the other old faces of the UNM, as this might hinder rather than insrease their chances.