Possible scenarios after the Prime Minister resigns

In his open letter to the Georgian people, Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili explained why, how and when he will quit the political arena. This has become the major issue of discussion for the Georgian media and indeed the entire population.

Many Georgian Dream MPs could not have dreamt of becoming parliament members without Ivanishvili and his Georgian Dream. Under Ivanishvili's leadership, representatives of different political parties, with often radically different positions and opinions, have managed to work together as a solid political coalition.

Some analysts have suggested that Ivanishvili’s resignation might be the catalyst for the coalition's collapse. Others have suggested that Ivanishvili’s decision was premature and does not serve the country's interests. Some think that Ivanishvili's departure will give the United National Movement (UNM) a chance to return to power. Most people agree that Ivanishvili's letter has not helped his or his party's approval ratings.

Ivanishvili’s decision has also triggered speculation about whether snap parliamentary elections could be held or not. If the Georgian Dream coalition were to collapse, it would allow many political parties an opportunity to gain a place in Parliament. Some think that holding snap elections would be a good thing to do because the current make-up of Parliament does not reflect the true political orientation of the country.

Ivanishvili has stated that the country is stable and that his government has fulfilled almost all its promises. He has suggested that his resignation and move into the civil society sector will give the Georgian population the chance to create a truly democratic and balanced political system.

So far Ivanishvili has not named his successor but promises that the next prime minister will be a very qualified individual and will continue in Ivanishvili's footsteps.