Abstract
The current political situation in the Republic of Georgia is marked by political instability, high polarization, an uncertainty which accumulated in recent years. Over the past decade, the fight in Georgia between the current ruling party Georgian Dream and its predecessor, the United National Movement—and in particular between their respective leaders Bidzina Ivanishvili and Mikheil Saakashvili—has become a winner-takes-all clash. Since the parliamentary elections of October and November 2020, the standoff has become yet more intense.
This report offers a historical background of the political environment in Georgia since the collapse of the Soviet Union with a deeper focus on the political climate since the Georgian Parliamentary elections in October 2020 and the events that unfolded since the elections.
The report offers a vast overview of the key political events and figures in Georgia, including race on the offices of the opposition leader Nike Melisa, Tbilisi Pride protests, return and arrest of the former president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili, and Georgian local elections in October 2021.