**Georgia’s Democracy Slides**
The V-Dem Institute, a Swedish research organization, has downgraded Georgia to an “electoral autocracy”. This is according to their report “Democracy 2025”, which cites a sharp democratic backslide from the country’s previous classification as an “electoral democracy”.
**Democratic Decline**
Georgia’s democratic deterioration began in 2018, after a period of progress from 2013 to 2017. The report describes 2024 as the year of Georgia’s most significant democratic decline since regaining independence.
**External Interference**
The V-Dem Institute points to external interference, specifically Russian meddling in Georgia’s electoral process. This is said to have contributed to a period of irregularities and unrest in the country.
**Comparing Countries**
In contrast to countries like Montenegro and Poland that are moving towards democratization, Georgia is now among eight countries in the region undergoing autocratization. The report highlights that 65% of Eastern Europe’s population live in electoral autocracies, including Hungary, Russia, and Serbia.
**Vulnerability to Russian Influence**
Georgia is deemed particularly vulnerable to Russian influence, with the report citing examples of political interference, economic dependency, military pressure, and meddling in election processes.
**Key Findings**
The report ranks Georgia among the top ten countries where the fairness of elections has significantly deteriorated over the year. It also highlights media bias, government threats against opposition parties, and increasing discrimination against them in favor of the incumbent party.
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