29 Facts About Levan Khabeishvili

Levan Khabeishvili is a Georgian activist and politician who has served as a Member of Parliament since 2020.

Levan Khabeishvili was elected as Chairman of the United National Movement in January 2023, defeating his predecessor Nika Melia, but resigned in June 2024 due to a degradation of his health following an assault by police officers during large-scale demonstrations.

In 2010, Levan Khabeishvili became a member of the Sports Monitoring Service of the City of Tbilisi.

That year's ultimate defeat of UNM resulted in Levan Khabeishvili leaving the public sector to join political activism.

Levan Khabeishvili briefly left UNM in 2016 to join New Georgia, a novel political party founded by former UNM official and Deputy Justice Minister Giorgi Vashadze.

When New Georgia joined the State for the People electoral block led by opera singer Paata Burchuladze, Levan Khabeishvili was placed in 10th position on the SfP's electoral list and was the bloc's nominee for the Parliament Majoritarian District of Samgori, facing 13 other candidates, including TV host Giorgi Mosidze and City Assembly member Irakli Nadiradze.

Levan Khabeishvili sought to raise awareness on corruption in other parts of Georgia, once organizing a protest against the prefect of Bakuriani for a self-distributed bonus.

Levan Khabeishvili was one of UNM's leaders to launch demonstrations in June 2018 against the Georgian Government over the killing of two teenagers during a street fight in Downtown Tbilisi, protests during which he was arrested for insulting police officers.

On January 24,2020, Levan Khabeishvili was involved in a physical confrontation during a City Assembly commission meeting.

On his way out of the Assembly building, Levan Khabeishvili himself assaulted GD Assemblyman Irakli Zarkua.

On June 19,2020, Levan Khabeishvili was nominated a group of more than a dozen opposition parties as nominee for the Parliament Majoritarian District of Samgori, while appearing as 35th on UNM's electoral list.

Levan Khabeishvili ran against 16 candidates, including GD's Sozar Subari, a former cabinet minister, and far-right activist Guram Palavandishvili.

Levan Khabeishvili was one of dozens of MPs to not recognize the results of the 2020 legislative elections and participated in a boycott and large-scale protests calling for new elections.

Levan Khabeishvili's call for repeat polls was criticized by fellow opposition MP Levan Ioseliani of the Citizens' Party.

When UNM Chairman Nika Melia had his parliamentary immunity lifted, thus setting up a future arrest, Levan Khabeishvili threatened to respond to the authorities with force.

Levan Khabeishvili put an end to his boycott along with the rest of UNM after a short-lived EU-facilitated agreement between the opposition and Georgian Dream in April 2021.

Since then, Levan Khabeishvili has been a member of the Agricultural Affairs Committee.

Levan Khabeishvili reiterated his calls for new legislative elections after the return and subsequent arrest of exiled former president Mikheil Saakashvili in October 2021, taking part in large rallies organized for his release.

Levan Khabeishvili has been a vocal supporter of Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian invasion, often accusing the Georgian government of secretly working with Russia to avoid sanctions.

Levan Khabeishvili has made public calls on Aragvi Impex, Wissol Group and Lukoil to stop the import of Russian oil.

Levan Khabeishvili has connected the rhetoric by some GD officials against European and American politicians to the potential sanctioning of GD founder Bidzina Ivanishvili.

Levan Khabeishvili has called on the authorities to allow doctors to make decisions related to Saakashvili's health.

Levan Khabeishvili was notably met with verbal confrontations during meetings in Akhaltsikhe, Lanchkhuti and Ozurgeti, after which he stated that GD was "ready for violence".

On November 18,2022, Levan Khabeishvili announced he would run for the chairmanship of UNM after a special election was scheduled due to questions on Nika Melia's capacity to lead the party, pledging to focus the party's resources on a campaign to release Saakashvili from prison.

Levan Khabeishvili is seen as having the backing of the Saakashvili's closest allies, including former Defense Minister Davit Kezerashvili and former Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili.

Levan Khabeishvili defeated Melia and two other candidates and was elected as Chairman of the United National Movement on January 30,2023.

Levan Khabeishvili's chairmanship has been mired with ongoing controversies surrounding his leadership style.

Levan Khabeishvili's chairmanship coincided with two political crises over the introduction of the Transparency in Foreign Influence Act by Georgian Dream, a bill that much of the international community and civil society condemned as being "Russian-inspired" and threatening the independent work of civil society.

Levan Khabeishvili announced his intention to run for the chairmanship of the party's Political Council.