Georgia’s first ever proportional system will be used to hold its first-ever parliamentary elections on October 26, 2024. The results of this election will be very important and could determine the future of Georgia’s integration with the European Union, as well as the North Atlantic structures, in the coming year. This document was sent to the European Parliament Research Service by Anna Caprile.
According to the document the atmosphere of the election campaign is becoming more tense and polarized.
The “Georgian Dream Party“, which has been in government since 2012 and is led the party’s billionaire founder Bidzina ivanishvili, says the elections are a choice between peace and war. The opposition, meanwhile, calls the elections a contest between the democratic West versus authoritarian Russia. Polls show conflicting results. However, those deemed more reliable predict no party will be in a position to form a government on its own, and that forming a coalition will be required.
The author of the document notes Georgia’s EU Candidate Status was granted on December 14,2023, under the condition that it would make progress in nine areas. However, since then the ruling party has passed several legislative acts which are against the European Union values and hinder the continued accession negotiations.
“Recent amendments made to the Georgian electoral law have been criticized by international and local organizations.” The document states that the commission will likely adopt the 2024 enlargement packages in the next few weeks. This package will evaluate the progress of candidate countries, Georgia included.
The author points out that local and international observers will be closely monitoring the elections, including a long term observation mission from the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights of the Security Organization.
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