Georgia: pre-electoral uncertainty

Abstract:

On 8 October 2016 parliamentary elections will be held in Georgia. The main rivals are Georgian Dream (GD), which has been governing since 2012, and the United National Movement (UNM), which held power for nine years before that. However the results of the election, and by extension the shape of the future government, remain an open question: a total of 30 groups and parties will stand in the elections, while around 40% of the voters have not yet made up their minds.

Both the tensions around the elections, as well as the potential strengthening in Georgia of populist and pro-Russian forces, carry with them the risk of a political crisis after the elections, and may negatively affect the country’s pro-Western foreign policy vector.

ESO: Background information: Georgia 2016 http://www.europeansources.info/record/georgia-2016/

ESO: Background information: Between Europe and Russia, Oligarchs Rule http://www.europeansources.info/record/between-europe-and-russia-oligarchs-rule/

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