Politics and Religion in Contemporary Georgia: the Russian Model and its possible Adoption
Politics and Religion in Contemporary Georgia: the Russian Model and its possible Adoption

Author(s): Alexander Orlov, Salome Giunashvili
Subject(s): Civil Society, Governance, Post-Communist Transformation
Published by: EECMD - Eastern European Centre for Multiparty Democracy
Summary/Abstract: Georgia’s future hangs in the balance as the ruling Georgian Dream coalition attempts to derail the country’s democratic progress. Once a frontrunner among Eastern Partnership countries, Georgia now fails to demonstrate progress and meet the requirement in order to be considered a candidate for EU membership. While the prospects for European integration of Georgia are tempered by several serious challenges relating to the country’s broader backsliding democracy, the Georgian Dream coalition seems determined to level up its authoritarian inclinations by attempting to impose new restrictive norms. With this goal in mind, the Georgian government employed a well-known chapter from the Kremlin playbook. With the Russian-style law on foreign agents intended to impose repressive measures against pro-democracy activists and media outlets, the ruling party revealed its desire to adopt Russian political practices.

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