The crowd cheered despite warnings from Brussels that foreign agent laws would prevent that possibility.
“Because the Georgian Dream confuses the population, and Georgia frequently says it will become a member of the EU while at the same time ignoring the conditions put forward by Brussels, many voters do not believe we are on the right path. I'm thinking about it,'' Ackhrediani said.
uneven playing field
Georgian Dream also oversees a strong network of supportive media outlets campaigning for LGBTQ+ rights and civil society in an effort to protect Georgian values. A 2021 United Nations report found that the TV and print environment is highly polarized, with news outlets showing deference to either the government or their chosen opposition.
At the same time, Georgia's elections have been marred by the arrests of prominent political opponents, including former President Saakashvili, who has been accused of intimidation, vote-buying, and even abuse of power, according to the OSCE. Meanwhile, the OSCE said Georgian Dream's “misuse of administrative resources” significantly favored the vote.
But despite their dissatisfaction, many Georgians say they see no clear alternative to the ruling party. The United National Movement, the country's largest opposition coalition founded by Saakashvili, has struggled to distance itself from criticism of his tenure, which has been marked by allegations of nepotism and personality cults.
Pro- and anti-government demonstrations are now regularly held outside Georgia's grand Soviet-built parliament building, but journalists say the showdown with lawmakers comes amid growing political tensions. He has been locked out of the hallway for several weeks to prevent this.
