Until recently, the capital’s mayor was appointed by the government. In fact, Saakashvili himself served as mayor when he was the head of the Sakrabulo before becoming president. During that time, when he was leader of the opposition, he called for direct elections to the mayoral position. Now he is saying that a directly elected mayor will become ‘politicized’ and the office should not become a political tool.

Nino Burjanadze, the speaker of the Georgian parliament, spoke out this week in favor of indirect elections. In a report published by Rustavi 2, she said that a directly elected mayor in the capital would lead to political tactics and games, something she believes will hinder the government’s ability to rule. She also stated that since Georgia is already a democratic nation, such measures should not be viewed as anti-democratic.

However, according to opposition leaders, this decision is just the latest in a long line of measures that serve to isolate the political minority and bar the opposition from the political process in Georgia. While these allegations are nothing new – the opposition has been accusing Saakashvili and his government of authoritarian tactics since the revolution – this is possibly the first time that opposition protests have been based on concrete facts instead of emotional pleas.

And their arguments are finding support among Georgians, particularly among citizens of the capital who seem, according to reports by Georgian media, to want to directly elect their mayor. While earlier the opposition was viewed as weak and disorganized, it is now gaining popular support.

According to political analysts, a stronger opposition will be good for the development of democracy in Georgia. However, the steps already taken by the ruling party, like the new CEC and the 7% vote requirement for seats in parliament, cause concern that the new opposition will not have the opportunity to flex their new political muscle.

Opposition parties themselves this week pledged not to participate in any elections until the issue is addressed. According to a report by The Georgian Messenger, they are hoping this tactic will lead to international pressure to change the law in their favor.

But changing the law to support opposition candidates will also work in Saakashvili’s favor in the long term. If the object of his presidency – as he himself stated in an article recently published in the West – is to form a strong democracy, then it is his role to foster political discussions. A strong opposition is a fundamental factor of a democracy and, instead of being an opponent of building democracy, it is in fact a needed balancing device to create a healthy political climate. And that could be the greatest legacy of the Rose Revolution.