Tens of thousands of Georgians took to the streets of Tbilisi in a pro-European Union rally ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections on October 26. The rally, aimed at supporting Georgia’s European future, comes amidst concerns that the ruling Georgian Dream party is derailing the country’s EU aspirations.
The EU granted Georgia candidate status last year, but recent controversial legislation, including an anti-LGBTQ+ rights bill and a foreign agent law, has raised concerns in Brussels and led to the freezing of Georgia’s EU accession process.
The anti-LGBTQ+ bill bans same-sex marriages, adoptions, and limits LGBTQ+ representation in the media, while the foreign agent law requires media organizations and NGOs to register as foreign agents if they receive foreign funding. Critics see these laws as efforts to restrict freedoms and silence opposition.
President Salome Zourabichvili, who supports Georgia’s pro-European stance, has refused to sign these bills into law, aligning herself against the Georgian Dream party. The upcoming elections have become a battleground between those pushing for closer ties with Europe and those leaning towards Russia’s orbit.
Amidst the political turmoil, opinion polls show the Georgian Dream party as the most popular, but the rally demonstrates a strong push for a European future for Georgia. The outcome of the elections will likely determine the country’s path towards the EU or a return to closer relations with Russia.
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