Georgia in turmoil: election fraud and protests shake the country!

Georgia in turmoil: election fraud and protests shake the country!

On October 26, 2025, a date that perhaps not so many people in Cologne are eagerly awaiting today, there will be heated discussions on the Georgian political stage. Because exactly a year earlier, on October 26, 2024, the controversial parliamentary election took place in Georgia, which was met with numerous allegations of fraud and uncouth protests. The ruling Georgian Dream party claimed an absolute majority, receiving 53.9% of the vote, equivalent to 89 seats in the new parliament. But the opposition, led by President Salome Zurabishvili, does not recognize the result.

The election had a turnout of 59.1%, showing that a significant proportion of the population took part, however the validity of the result remains doubtful. Election observers reported irregularities, including manipulated ballot papers and voter intimidation. This led to ongoing protests that heated up political tempers in the country. According to the Wikipedia source, constitutional lawyers also doubt the legality of the newly constituted parliament, which is further escalating the political crisis in Georgia.

Political tensions and European perspectives

In the run-up to the election, the mood was already tense. Bloc formations within the opposition called for greater integration of Georgia into the EU. Nevertheless, the ruling party is perceived by many as close to Russia, which could put additional strain on the otherwise already critical relationship with the EU. Another downer is that the EU put accession negotiations with Georgia on hold at the end of June 2024 after a controversial law controlling NGOs and the media came into force.

The EU is holding back and waiting for the reports from election observers, especially the OSCE. Nevertheless, President Zurabishvili was already feeling the coldness in Brussels when she denounced electoral fraud and called for support from the EU. Critics such as Michael Roth from the SPD described the EU reaction as disappointing. It remains to be seen what the European Union will say during the next summit in Budapest. Your support could be crucial for Georgia, which applied for EU membership on March 3, 2022.

A look into history

October 26 also marked other notable events in history. For example, in Vienna in 1955, the Federal Constitution on the “perpetual neutrality” of Austria was passed. The day does not go unnoticed in the USA either; In 2020, Amy Coney Barrett was confirmed as a Supreme Court justice. These historical milestones, spanning many years, show that October 26 was significant not only for Georgia, but also for world history.

On today's Remembrance Day we can not only look back on the significant challenges facing Germany, Georgia and beyond, but also on a fascinating range of birth and death anniversaries. Names like Hillary Clinton and Christian Ude show that political developments are often very closely linked to the people who drive them forward or hinder them.

The situation in Georgia is an exciting and complex topic that extends far beyond the country's borders - the coming weeks and months could be crucial for the further direction of this geopolitical player. It remains exciting to see how the situation will develop in the coming days and whether the EU can actually keep its promises to Georgia in order to offer the countries a European perspective.