Georgia finds itself at a critical political crossroads after outgoing President Salome Zourabichvili refused to relinquish her position, branding her successor illegitimate. This turmoil underscores a growing divide in the country, as tensions with the ruling Georgian Dream party and its governance strategies reach a boiling point.
Zourabichvili, whose tenure began in 2018 with Georgian Dream’s endorsement, has since become a fierce critic of the party, accusing it of undermining democratic principles. On Sunday, she addressed a crowd of supporters outside the presidential palace, asserting her legitimacy and decrying the recent election as fraudulent. “This building was a symbol only as long as a legitimate president was sitting here,” she declared before leaving the palace.
A few blocks away, Mikheil Kavelashvili, a former footballer and Georgian Dream loyalist, was sworn in during a private parliamentary ceremony. Accompanied by his family and Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Kavelashvili used his inaugural speech to champion Georgian traditions, faith, and national identity. However, his ascension was met with widespread condemnation, with Georgia’s four main opposition parties boycotting parliament and rejecting his presidency as illegitimate.
The controversy surrounding Kavelashvili’s election comes amid mounting allegations of authoritarianism against Georgian Dream. Critics accuse the ruling party of passing oppressive laws targeting the media, non-governmental organizations, and the LGBTQ+ community, aligning its policies with those of Russia. Furthermore, the government’s refusal to impose sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine and its public criticism of the West as the “global war party” have fueled doubts about Georgia’s commitment to European integration.
Despite an overwhelming majority of Georgians supporting EU membership, the government recently announced it would postpone EU accession talks until 2028. This decision sparked days of protests, with thousands of demonstrators waving Georgian and EU flags, forming human chains, and demanding an immediate return to pro-European policies.
The situation has drawn international attention, with the U.S. imposing sanctions on former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, the billionaire founder of Georgian Dream, for alleged corruption and his ties to Russia.
As protests continue, Zourabichvili remains a symbol of resistance for many Georgians, rallying against what she describes as the country’s drift into authoritarianism. With political instability and public discontent on the rise, Georgia’s path forward remains uncertain, as its people grapple with safeguarding democratic values and pursuing their European aspirations.
