The ruling National Movement Party said it would not run in MP by-elections in two Tbilisi single-mandate constituencies.

The MP by-elections are scheduled for November 3 in the Vake and Didube single-mandate constituencies – two opposition strongholds.

The by-elections are required in Tbilisi’s Didube and Vake single-mandate constituencies after the two sitting majoritarian MPs - the New Rights Party's Davit Saganelidze and Davit Gamkrelidze, respectively - renounced their MP mandates in protest at what they called the fraudulent May 21 parliamentary elections. Twelve opposition politicians renounced their MP mandates.

Mikheil Machavariani of the ruling party, who is vice-speaker of Parliament, said that the National Movement had decided not to run in order to give the opposition parties more seats in the 150-seat legislative body, in which the ruling party has 119.

The New Rights Party, which won both seats, as well as its partner parties in the opposition coalition, will not run in the by-elections either. The Republican Party and Labor Party have also refused to run.

Nine parties wish to participate: Christian-Democratic Party; Industrialist Party; the Georgian Troupe; On Our Own; National-Democratic Party; Our Country; the Georgian Politics; Georgia’s Freedom-Democratic party; the National Party of Georgian Radical-Democrats.

Once registered by the Central Election Commission (CEC), they will then nominate majoritarian MP candidates.