Georgia Elections to Shape Relations with Russia or the West

In today's critical parliamentary elections in Georgia, the public will determine the country's future relations with the West or Russia. The ruling party, Georgian Dream, which has been in power since 2012, is competing against four major Western-oriented opposition blocs. The election is seen as a critical turning point for Georgia, which has historically leaned towards Western integration but has recently experienced a shift towards closer ties with Moscow.

The current political climate in Georgia has been influenced by Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The Georgian Dream party has accused the West of attempting to drag Georgia into conflict, while the opposition views the government's orientation towards Russia as a betrayal of the country's European aspirations.

Both sides have released conflicting polls through their media outlets. Media close to the opposition predict that Georgian Dream will lose its majority, while those supporting the government expect a significant victory. Despite hopes for a peaceful election, Georgia's history of political turmoil raises concerns about possible unrest.

Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of Georgian Dream, described the election as a struggle against the "Global War Party" in the West. Activist Sandro Dvalishvili expressed the party's determination to win and guide the country in what they believe is the right direction. The party aims to secure three-fourths of parliamentary seats to constitutionally ban the main opposition party, the United National Movement.

Opposition parties and President Salome Zourabichvili have accused Georgian Dream of vote-buying and voter intimidation, although the party denies these allegations. Opposition activists argue that a strong alliance with the West and EU membership is necessary to protect Georgia from Russian influence.

Nana Malashkhia, a former civil servant and parliamentary candidate, emphasized the need for strong EU allies to counter Russian imperialism. Last year, the EU granted Georgia candidate status, but the application was suspended due to concerns over democratic backsliding under Georgian Dream's administration.

The four main opposition parties aim to form a coalition government that will replace Georgian Dream and realign Georgia with the EU. Tina Bokuchava, the leader of the United National Movement, expressed confidence that the election results would reflect the Georgian people's preference for European prosperity over isolation.