President Saakashvili jokingly told reporters that a constitutional monarchy would be better for him as his grandmother was a descendant of the Bagrationis, the Georgian royal dynasty.

“My grandmother was also a Bagrationi. I say it for people, who want to restore the monarchy. It would be even better because we would avoid the need for elections and would decide everything based on family traditions,” Saakashvili told Georgian reporters in Finland on October 12.

“Of course, I am joking,” he quickly added, saying it was unfortunate that he had to stress that because “the opposition lacks a sense of humor.”

Parliament is due to debate the idea of a constitutional monarchy on October 25. The Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church, Illia II, said on October 7 it was time to consider the idea.