Georgia's Opposition Alliance Launches Two-Month National Mobilization Campaign
By Messenger Staff
Wednesday, April 1, 2026
On the thirty-fifth anniversary of the 1991 Independence Restoration Referendum, a coalition of nine opposition parties announced a sweeping national mobilization campaign aimed at challenging the ruling Georgian Dream party and culminating in a mass rally on Independence Day, May 26.
The announcement was made on March 31, a date of historical significance. In 1991, nearly 99 percent of Georgian voters chose to reclaim sovereignty from Soviet rule, an act that led to the modern restoration of the state based on the 1918 Act of Independence.
Standing alongside fellow opposition leaders, Zurab Girchi Japaridze, head of the Girchi-More Freedom party, read a joint statement framing the current political climate as an existential threat to Georgia's autonomy. Japaridze stated that both March 31 and May 26 are among the most important dates in the history of independent Georgia and are linked to the nation's most critical challenge of state independence. He noted that the alliance believes Georgia faces that same challenge today.
The alliance, which formed on March 2 to coordinate efforts against what they describe as a regime crackdown on dissent, has invited all political and civic groups to join the movement.
The coalition outlined five primary objectives designed to bridge the gap between public dissatisfaction and organized political action. These goals include increasing direct communication with citizens and actively countering regime propaganda. Additionally, the alliance aims to transform public anger and the desire for change into real political action while overcoming the fear they claim has been deliberately instilled by the Georgian Dream. Finally, the campaign seeks to increase the total number of people participating in protests across the country.
The statement emphasized that change does not happen through words alone but occurs when many people stand together, just as it did thirty-five years ago during the March 31 referendum.
The campaign is set to be a nationwide effort. While the symbolic finale is scheduled for Tbilisi, the alliance plans to hold preliminary gatherings in major regional hubs such as Kutaisi, Batumi, and Zugdidi.
The final mass rally on May 26, which is Georgia's Independence Day, is scheduled to begin at 19:00. Protesters are expected to gather at Tbilisi State University before marching toward the Parliament building on Rustaveli Avenue.
