Imedi /  09 September 2026, 12:15 / Reliable source

MEP Ondruš: AfD victory in Saxony-Anhalt signals growing demand for change in EU policy

Branislav Ondruš

Branislav Ondruš

Branislav Ondruš, a Member of the European Parliament, said on Tuesday that the election results in Germany’s Saxony-Anhalt state showed that people in many parts of the country wanted to send a message to Brussels that they wanted a change in European policy.

Ondruš was commenting on the victory of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party in Saxony-Anhalt.

According to the MEP, the election results sent an “absolutely clear signal” that people want change in European politics.

“It is obvious that people feel they are being left behind and that their interests are not being taken into account properly. Therefore, I believe this is, first and foremost, a protest against the EU’s economic structure and economic policy, as well as against the economic policies of the governments of EU member states”, he said.

“In my view, what they primarily want to change is the economic system. They simply want an economy that works for people, rather than for multinational corporations, oligarchs and so on. This is also a protest against the EU’s international policy. It is indeed a protest against the approach the European Union takes toward other countries around the world, including, of course, Georgia. This is the result of people’s anger because they feel abandoned and neglected”, Ondruš concluded.

All News

09 September 2026, 17:25

Foreign policy

Georgian President pays tribute to Norway’s King Harald V at state funeral

Georgia’s President Mikheil Kavelashvili, accompanied by his wife, Tamar Bagrationi, attended the state funeral ceremony of King Harald V of Norway on Wednesday.

Nikoloz Samkharadze

09 September 2026, 17:02

Politics

Georgian Parliament official labels EU Commissioner’s comments on MAGA ‘scandalous’

Nikoloz Samkharadze, Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Georgian Parliament, on Wednesday described a recent statement by European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos as significant and controversial, arguing that it effectively criticises the current US administration and discourages close ties with it.

Photo: State Security Service

09 September 2026, 16:47

Politics

Georgian State Security Service Chief features at Global Public Security Cooperation Forum in China

Georgian State Security Service Head Geka Geladze is on an official visit to China, leading a delegation at the invitation of the Chinese side.

Photo: Screenshot from Video

09 September 2026, 16:18

Politics

Georgian Parliament official: negative attitudes toward Eurocrats will grow further if they fail to draw conclusions

If Eurocrats fail to draw conclusions in time, negative attitudes toward them will grow even further, Rati Ionatamishvili, Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights Protection and Civil Integration, said on Wednesday.

Nino Tsilosani

09 September 2026, 16:13

Politics

Georgian Parliament Vice Speaker: only “arbitrary” activity in Georgia was EU funding financing unrest

Nino Tsilosani, Vice Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, said on Wednesday that the only “arbitrary” activity in Georgia had been funding provided through certain EU funds, which she claimed had been flowing into the country and financing unrest that ultimately led to arrests the EU is now seeking to defend.

Shalva Papuashvili

09 September 2026, 13:33

Politics

Georgian Parliament Speaker: Ivanishvili’s foresight helped prevent Georgia from being drawn into 2022 war

The fact that Georgia was not drawn into a renewed military confrontation with Russia in 2022 was, among other things, the result of Bidzina Ivanishvili’s ability to foresee developments, Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said on Wednesday.

Shalva Papuashvili

09 September 2026, 13:31

Politics

Georgian Parliament Speaker: Brussels has become prisoner of its own policy toward Georgia

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said on Wednesday that Brussels had reached an impasse with its policy toward Georgia and had become “a prisoner of its own” policy, adding that Georgia wanted to help the EU overcome the deadlock.

Photo: Parliament of Georgia

09 September 2026, 12:14

Politics

Georgian Parliament Speaker accuses EU of clinging to “false narrative” and spreading disinformation against Georgia

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday condemned a statement by the Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to the United Nations, calling it “outrageous” that such a platform is being used to spread what he described as disinformation and lies against Georgia and the Georgian people.

Shalva Papuashvili

09 September 2026, 11:31

Politics

Georgian Parliament Speaker: Brussels cannot make criminals victims by repeating false narratives

Georgian Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili on Wednesday criticised what he described as Brussels’ continued reliance on “disinformation” regarding Georgia, arguing that the European Union’s policy toward the country had reached a “dead end”.

Photo: Government of Georgia

09 September 2026, 11:29

Politics

Georgian PM heads to Paris at Macron’s invitation for Space Summit

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze departed for France on Wednesday at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, leading a Georgian delegation.

Photo: Parliament of Georgia

08 September 2026, 22:09

Politics

Georgia’s ruling party official says AfD success, Iceland’s EU stance should be ‘signal to Brussels’

Levan Machavariani, First Deputy Chair of the Georgian Dream parliamentary faction, on Tuesday described the electoral success of Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) as a signal to Brussels, also pointing to Iceland’s decision not to pursue EU membership and growing public concerns about the bloc’s future.

Photo: Georgian Government

08 September 2026, 21:54

Economy

Georgian PM: Georgia maintains strong economic growth, FX reserves reach record high

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said on Tuesday that the country’s economy grew by 8% in July, bringing economic growth for the first seven months of 2026 to 7.9%.

Photo: Imedi TV

08 September 2026, 21:14

Economy

Georgian Parliament official highlights potential for deepening Georgia-Japan economic ties

Irakli Mezurnishvili, Head of the Georgian Parliament’s permanent delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) and a member of the parliamentary majority, on Tuesday highlighted the growing potential for economic cooperation between Georgia and Japan following a series of official meetings in Tokyo.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

08 September 2026, 20:29

Sport

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia makes 2026 Ballon d’Or shortlist

Georgian national team winger and Paris Saint-Germain star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has been officially named among the 30 nominees for the 2026 Ballon d’Or, football’s most prestigious individual award.

Photo: Imedi TV

08 September 2026, 20:27

Economy

Japanese MP highlights investment opportunities, calls for deeper economic cooperation with Georgia

Ichiro Aisawa, a member of Japan’s House of Representatives and Chair of the Japan-Georgia Parliamentary Friendship Group, on Tuesday highlighted the importance of strengthening economic ties between Japan and Georgia, calling for greater Japanese investment in Georgia and increased bilateral trade.

Photo: Government Administration

08 September 2026, 19:59

Politics

Georgian PM: Georgia improves across all key PISA areas, records strongest decade performance

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Tuesday welcomed Georgia’s latest Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results, saying the country had improved its performance across all major areas measured by the international study, achieving its strongest results in mathematics and science in the past decade.

Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia

08 September 2026, 17:30

Foreign policy

Georgian FM meets newly appointed US Chargé d’Affaires to discuss bilateral relations, prospects for expanding cooperation

Maka Botchorishvili, Georgia’s Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, on Tuesday held an introductory meeting with Courtney Austrian, the newly appointed Chargé d’Affaires of the United States in Georgia.

08 September 2026, 17:15

Society

Georgia ranks among Europe’s top 10 for efficiency of education and healthcare spending

Georgia ranks among the top 10 European countries for the efficiency of government spending on education and healthcare, according to the Chandler Institute of Governance’s Good Government Index 2026 and its Spending Efficiency indicator.

Photo: Shutterstock

08 September 2026, 16:50

Economy

National Statistics Office of Georgia: China becomes Georgia’s largest FDI source in Q2 2026

The National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) on Tuesday released data showing that China became Georgia’s largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the second quarter of 2026.