Ukraine registers Saakashvili political party

Ukraine’s Justice Ministry registered on Feb. 28 the Movement of New Forces political party, reported its head Mikheil Saakashvili, the former Georgian president who has resurrected his political career in Ukraine. “This seeming triviality brings our movement a step closer towards forming a principally new political class in the country,” Saakashvili said in a Facebook post. He alleged the party has representatives in many Ukrainian cities.

Zenon Zawada: An active competition is currently taking place among politicians jockeying to become the leading pro-Western, reforms-oriented force in Ukraine. Both Western governments and the Ukrainian public are dissatisfied with the slow and choppy reforms adopted by Ukrainian President Poroshenko. Besides Saakashvili’s political activity, the youth-oriented Self-Reliance party is actively supporting an economic blockade of occupied Donbas, which has deeply roiled the establishment, including both Poroshenko and the leaders of the Russian-backed occupation in Donbas.

Saakashvili has lost a lot of momentum since resigning as head of the Odesa state administration in November and he’d have to assemble a strong political team of proven reformers if he wants to seriously compete in the 2019 parliamentary elections. So far we don’t see many prospects for success. Instead, the Self-Reliance party – led by Lviv Mayor Andriy Sadovyi – is scoring big political points in backing the blockade, which has gained much support among the public. This party has gained ground in becoming the leader of the pro-Western opposition.