What's happened
Following disputed parliamentary elections on October 26, 2024, Georgia's ruling party, Georgian Dream, faces widespread protests and an opposition boycott. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced a halt to EU accession discussions until 2028, amid accusations of electoral fraud and democratic backsliding.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to The Moscow Times, Prime Minister Kobakhidze accused the European Parliament of 'blackmail' and stated that Georgia would not pursue EU membership discussions until 2028. This sentiment was echoed by the South China Morning Post, which highlighted the opposition's claims of a rigged election influenced by Russia. The Guardian noted that the ruling party's nomination of a former footballer for the presidency reflects a shift towards populism amidst political turmoil. The Independent emphasized the EU's condemnation of the elections, marking a critical moment in Georgia's democratic trajectory.
How we got here
The October 26 elections were marred by allegations of fraud, with opposition parties claiming Russian influence. The European Parliament condemned the elections, calling for new votes under international supervision. President Salome Zurabishvili has rejected the election results, further complicating the political landscape.
More on these topics
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The European Union is a political and economic union of 27 member states that are located primarily in Europe. Its members have a combined area of 4,233,255.3 km² and an estimated total population of about 447 million.
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Georgia is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the south by Turkey and Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaija
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Bidzina Ivanishvili is a Georgian politician, billionaire businessman and philanthropist, who was Prime Minister of Georgia from October 2012 to November 2013.
Ivanishvili founded the Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party on 21 April 2012.
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Irakli Kobakhidze is a Georgian politician, former Speaker of the Parliament of Georgia, Member of Parliament since 2016.
He was the Executive Secretary and Political Council Member of the ruling party “Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia”, Vice-Pre
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Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia is the governing party of Georgia. The party was established on 19 April 2012 by the billionaire businessman and politician Bidzina Ivanishvili.