Ivanishvili's resignation will strengthen ruling coalition, experts believe

After Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili announced his plans to quit politics following the recently-held presidential elections, political analysts started discussing the ruling Georgian Dream coalition's prospects. Vestnik Kavkaza asked the leader of the republican faction in the Georgian parliament, David Berdzenishvili, and head of the Managing Strategy Institute, Petre Mamradze, to comment on the issue. 

According to Berdzenishvili, Ivanishvili's resignation will improve the coalition's unity rather than weaken it. The parties will be forced to enhance their cooperation in the framework of the coalition and this will strengthen Georgian Dream, the politician believes. 

At the same time, Mamradze is rather sceptical. The coalition will remain for some time, perhaps it will last until the next elections, but it is very weak without Ivanishvili, he says. 

These six small parties, which would never enter the parliament if it was not for Ivanishvili, are in fact very weak and the coalition is rather fragile, Mamradze underlines.

This doesn't mean that Ivanishvili won't support the coalition after he leaves the prime minister's office, the expert says. This means that the coalition may be stronger than expected, Mamradze says.