Georgia, Tbilisi, November 4/Trend N.Kirtzkhalia/
Khatuna Samnidze was elected chairman of Georgia's Republican Party. About 32 out of the 35 members of the party's political council voted for her on Sunday. One member abstained and two were absent.
The election of a new chairman of the party became necessary after the party's leader, the speaker of the Georgian parliament David Usupashvili left the post.
During the party's session, Usupashvili spoke before members and guests declaring that a new leader was needed as he will be unable to combine the two posts.
Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili and the newly elected President Giorgi Margvelashvili attended the session of the republicans.
Ivanishvili expressed his admiration for Usupashvili in his speech and called him a model politician. He also stated that the party's 35 year history is a picture of intellectualism and sanity.
"Although it isn't the most popular party, it is the most intelligent and serious one," Ivanishvili said.
The Prime Minister stressed that during the two years in coalition with the republicans and other parties, they managed to achieve what was impossible to imagine and that was to achieve democracy and hold a European election.
Usupashvili supported the Prime Minister saying that two years ago the party thought about going underground. He also promised that his party will remain in the coalition as long as there is even one party.
Samnidze has been the organisational secretary of the party since 2013. Prior to this, she worked at the Heinrich Boell Foundation and was a member of the Supreme Council of Adjara.