Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia ქართული ოცნება – დემოკრატიული საქართველო | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Chairman | Irakli Kobakhidze |
| Secretary-General | Kakha Kaladze |
| Honorary Chairman | Bidzina Ivanishvili |
| Executive Secretary | Mamuka Mdinaradze |
| Regional Secretary | Dimitri Samkharadze |
| Relations with Political Parties Secretary | Gia Volski |
| Founder | Bidzina Ivanishvili |
| Founded | 21 April 2012[1] |
| Registered | 7 May 2012[2] |
| Membership(2023) | 42,000[3] |
| Ideology | |
| Political position |
|
| National affiliation | Georgian Dream (until 2016) |
| European affiliation | Party of European Socialists (observer, 2015–2023)[30] |
| International affiliation | Progressive Alliance (2013–2023) |
| Colors | Blue and Amber |
| Slogan | მხოლოდ მშვიდობით, ღირსებითა და კეთილდღეობით საქართველო ('Only with peace, dignity, and prosperity to Georgia')[33] |
| Seats InParliament | 78 / 150 |
| Municipal Councilors | 1,954 / 2,058 |
| Seats InTbilisi City Assembly | 45 / 50 |
| Municipal Mayors | 64 / 64 |
| Election symbol | |
 | |
| Website | |
| gd.ge | |
^ A: The party has been variously described as centre-left,[34] fiscally centre-left but socially conservative,[35] nominally centre-left,[36] centre to centre-left,[37] right-wing,[38] conservative,[39][40]left-conservative,[41] and social democratic.[37][42] Some observers have also accused it of adopting far-right ideas.[43] | |
Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia (GD),[a] also colloquially known as theKotsebi,[b] is aconservative andpopulistpolitical party inGeorgia, which has ruled the country since 2012.[57]Bidzina Ivanishvili, who founded the party on 19 April 2012 and is widely considered to be thede facto leader of Georgia, serves as the party's honorary chairman. The party's electoral number is 41.[58]
The party won thegeneral election in 2012, being part of an eclectic coalition also calledGeorgian Dream, which included bothpro-Westernliberal andanti-NATOnationalist parties.[59] Subsequently, the Georgian Dream party (independent of its coalition) also won all subsequent general elections and is a ruling party of the country.[60]
Georgian Dream originally declared itself acentre-left,pro-European party[61] and held ratherconservative social views.[62] It was originally an observer member of theParty of European Socialists (PES). However, over time it moved in an explicitlyculturally conservative,illiberal, andEurosceptic direction, leading to its expulsion by PES in 2023.[28] It is today described as a "left-conservative" orsyncretic party,[41][27] despite remaining to the left on fiscal matters;[65] In foreign policy, the party officially supports a balancing act betweenEuropean integration and pragmatic relations with theRussian Federation. Their opponents have accused the party ofanti-Western andpro-Russia foreign policy, with the party denying the allegations.
Georgian Dream has promotedconspiracy theories, including claims about adeep state,[66]shadow government,[67]globalists,[68]freemasons,[69]Great Replacement,[70]George Soros,[71] and a "Global War Party".[77] It has also passed legislation considered by theUnited States andEuropean Union as contradicting theEU andNATO membership policies. In 2024, the U.S.sanctioned leading Georgian Dream officials for "undermining democracy",[78] "violating human rights, and working for the benefit of the Russian Federation".[79] GD leaders have also been sanctioned by several EU member states for similar reasons.[80]
By 2011, theUnited National Movement government led by the PresidentMikheil Saakashvili had become increasingly unpopular during its rule since 2004 for itsneoliberal economic policy, extremely punitive criminal justice system and confrontational approach to Russia. The violent dispersal of the2007 and2011 demonstrations, scandals such as the 2006Sandro Girgvliani murder case and the loss of territories through the 2008Russo-Georgian War contributed to the party's increasing loss of support among the general populace. A range of other infringements on privacy and legal rights in combination with intimidation and coercion of the business sector added to the grievances.[81]
Given this context,Bidzina Ivanishvili, anoligarch primarily known for charity work and contributions to public projects, decided to step out of the shadow and lead the political opposition against Saakashvili by uniting the opposition, mobilizing popular support and subsequently capitalizing on the public discontent.[82]
In December 2011, Ivanishvili launched the Georgian Dream movement as a platform for his political activities and staged several mass demonstrations against the Saakashvili government. Four months later, on 21 April 2012, Georgian Dream was launched as a political party. Since Ivanishvili was not a Georgian citizen at the moment of the party's inaugural session, lawyerManana Kobakhidze was elected as an interim, nominal chairman of the party.[83]
The party also included several notable people such as the politicianSozar Subari, former diplomatTedo Japaridze, chess grandmasterZurab Azmaiparashvili, writerGuram Odisharia and famedfootballerKakha Kaladze, which helped it consolidate support.[84] The name of the party was inspired by a rap song of Ivanishvili's sonBera.[85]
On 21 February 2012, Ivanishvili announced the formation of acoalition centered around his party, together withRepublican Party of Georgia,Our Georgia – Free Democrats, andNational Forum, pledging to increase welfare spending and to pursue a more pragmatic approach with Russia while maintaining a pro-Western and pro-NATO foreign policy.[86][87] In subsequent months, two other opposition parties joined the coalition: theConservative Party of Georgia andIndustry Will Save Georgia.[88]
The six-party Georgian Dream coalition led by Ivanishvili successfully challenged the rulingUnited National Movement in the2012 parliamentary election.[84][89] It won 54.97% of the vote, while UNM received 40.34%, granting the coalition a majority of 85 seats in parliament. The remaining 65 seats went to UNM.[90]President Saakashvili conceded the loss and pledged to support the constitutional process of forming a new government.[91] This was the first democratic transfer of power in Georgia.[92] The election also marked the beginning of the transition from apresidential system to aparliamentary system of government.[93]
On 25 October 2012, Ivanishvili was elected as theprime minister of Georgia. He had requested Saakashvili to step down as president, but the latter decided to complete his final term, which meant an uneasy politicalcohabitation throughout 2013.[94] The new government introduced the State Universal Healthcare Program, making emergency surgeries and childbirth free of charge, increased welfare spending, and initiated reforms on self-governance, law enforcement agencies, and agriculture.[95][96] Georgian Dream additionally began to persecute former government and opposition officials on charges of corruption, abuse of power, and torture.[97][98]
In October 2013, Georgian Dream nominated candidateGiorgi Margvelashvili won thepresidential election in the first round with 61.1% of the vote. Saakashvili soon left the country amid threats that too would be persecuted.[97] Having looked over the transfer of power, Ivanishvili stepped down as prime minister, formally quitting the political arena, while running the government from behind the scenes.[99]
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Ivanishvili was succeeded byIrakli Garibashvili, under whose tenure Georgia made major steps towardsEuropean Union integration. In June 2014 Georgia signed the Association Agreement and the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, both of which were initiated under the Saakashvili-led government. Meanwhile, cracks appeared within the Georgian Dream coalition.Free Democrats left the coalition in November 2014 when Defence MinisterIrakli Alasania, a member of the party, was fired by Garibashvili.[100] Soon after becoming president, Margvelashvili's relations with the parliamentary wing of the party became strained as he was critical of what he saw as Georgian Dream's consolidation of power.[101] He was the first president in Georgia's history not to seek reelection for a second term.[102]
Prime Minister Garibashvili was succeeded in December 2015 byGiorgi Kvirikashvili, whose government focused on economic growth as well as strengthening relations with the West.[103] TheEuropean Commission recommended visa-free travel for the citizens of Georgia to theSchengen Area, with theEuropean Council and theEuropean Parliament giving the final approval in 2017.[104][105]
Prior to the2016 parliamentary election, it was announced in March 2016 that the Georgian Dream coalition would be dissolved as its members decided to run separately in the election.[106] Following this, the National Forum left the Georgian Dream parliamentary majority in April 2016, while four other parties formally remained in the majority group until the election.[107]
Despite the coalition falling apart, Kvirikashvili led Georgian Dream to a landslide victory in the2016 Georgian parliamentary election, winning aconstitutional majority of 115 seats out of 150. Utilizing their supermajority, Georgian Dream made grand amendments to theconstitution, such as completing the transition to aparliamentary system and the abolition of the direct presidential elections.[108]
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In April 2018, Ivanishvili returned to politics when he was appointed the chairman of the Georgian Dream party. His comeback was taken for granted as he had retained overwhelming sway over the party ever since his formal resignation in 2013.[109] Prime Minister Kvirikashvili suddenly resigned in June 2018, claiming "disagreements with the leader of the ruling party" as the reason for his resignation.[110] He was succeeded by a political newcomerMamuka Bakhtadze.[111]
In August 2018, the Chairman of the ParliamentIrakli Kobakhidze announced that the party would not nominate a candidate for the2018 presidential elections. Instead, it would endorse the independent candidateSalome Zourabichvili.[112] After a stronger than expected performance from the opposition in the first round, Ivanishvili put together a scheme in which the debts of 600,000 Georgians would be written-off and covered by his charity, in an attempt to secure Zourabichvili's victory. It was considered "an unprecedented case of vote-bribing".[113] The government supported scheme was enough to boost Georgian Dream's popularity and give Zourabichvili a victory in the second round.[114]
The summer of 2019 set off a prolonged period of political unrest and civil discontent with Georgian Dream's rule. On 20 June 2019,Parliament of Georgia hosted theInterparliamentary Assembly on Orthodoxy, an organization set up by theGreek parliament to unite Orthodox Christian lawmakers worldwide. With both Russia and Georgia being members of the organization, the Russian delegation arrived to take part in the session in the Georgian parliament. The session was opened with a speech fromSergei Gavrilov, a Russian lawmaker from theCommunist Party of the Russian Federation, whilst sitting in the chair of the Head of Parliament.[115]
Opposition members said it was denigrating of Georgian sovereignty and completely unacceptable that Gavrilov presided over a session in Georgian parliament, as a representative of the occupying power with a history of casting anti-Georgia votes.[116] The opposition called for protests in front of the parliament building. Some representatives of Georgian Dream said the action of Gavrilov was a provocation and claimed the session should have been chaired by the Greek deputyAnastasios Nerantzis. Gavrilov however, insisted he was instructed by the protocol service of Georgian parliament.[117][118]
That same day, a large protest took place in front of Parliament, which was violently dispersed by the orders of Interior MinisterGiorgi Gakharia. It became known as Gavrilov's Night. Georgian Dream leader Ivanishvili said the protest was legitimate, but the situation was exploited by the opposition parties to storm the parliament building, thus the police measures were necessary to prevent acoup.[119] Theprotests continued for months, demanding electoral reforms, snap elections, and resignations from the ruling party. Despite some concessions from Georgian Dream, such as the resignation of the chairman of parliament and the partial electoral amendments, the protests did not stop.[120][121][122]
On 2 September 2019, Bakhtadze resigned from his position as prime minister. In a letter he published onFacebook, he stated that he "decided to resign because I believe I have fulfilled my mission at this point".[123] Ivanishvili personally nominated Gakharia as his replacement, praising him for his ability to manage crises. The opposition boycotted Gakharia's confirmation vote.[124]
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Prime Minister Gakharia presided over the government's initially swift handling of theCOVID-19 pandemic. It helped the party regain the support it had lost in the aftermath of the Gavrilov's Night scandal. Georgian Dream was able to re-create its 2016 performance in the popular vote but lost 25 seats under the amended electoral system. The number of single-mandate majoritarian districts was reduced and the threshold was lowered from 5% to 1%, to create a more proportional system, an internationally mediated compromise as a result of the protests.[125] The opposition decried the results as illegitimate and responded by organizing protests and refusing to participate in the new parliament.[126]
TheOSCE-ODIHR election observation mission in its preliminary conclusions noted that the elections "were competitive and, overall, fundamental freedoms were respected", but it also said that the "pervasive allegations of pressure on voters and blurring of the line between the ruling party and the state reduced public confidence in some aspects of the process".[127] On 11 January 2021, amidst the2020–2021 Georgian political crisis, Ivanishvili announced that he was decisively leaving politics and resigned as Chairman of Georgian Dream, stating that "he had accomplished his goal".[128]
Gakharia resigned as prime minister in February 2021, citing his opposition to the court-ordered arrest of his political rival UNM leaderNika Melia on charges of organizing violence in the 2019 protests. He shortly announced his departure from Georgian Dream. Several MPs from Georgian Dream joined him to form theFor Georgia party.[129] Garibashvili was selected as his successor, heading theSecond Garibashvili government, who immediately ordered the arrest of Melia.[130]
On 19 April 2021, Georgian Dream and the opposition signed an agreement mediated byCharles Michel,President of the European Council, which ended the six-monthpolitical crisis that stemmed from the contested 2020 parliamentary election. The agreement stipulated snap parliamentary elections if Georgian Dream would garner less than 43% of the vote in theOctober 2021 local elections. Most parties signed the agreement and most of the elected opposition MPs took up their parliamentary mandates which they had refused until then. However, the largest opposition party United National Movement refused to join the agreement, which led Georgian Dream to withdraw from the agreement two months before the 2021 local elections. According to the head of the Georgian Dream party Irakli Kobakhidze, the agreement "failed to accomplish its goals" because UNM refused to join it.[131][132]
Georgian Dream managed to secure victory in the 2021 local elections, gaining 46.75% of the vote. The mayoral candidates from Georgian Dream won in all municipalities exceptTsalenjikha. However, the party lost its majority in 7 out of 64 municipal assemblies.[133]
After theRussian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Georgian Dream aided Ukraine by providing humanitarian assistance and sheltering refugees, while also consistently supporting it at the diplomatic level.[134][135] As such, 245,000 refugees from Ukraine have crossed into Georgia, primarily from the heavily war-affected areas in theEastern Ukraine.[136] The Georgian government responded by providing temporary accommodation and access to healthcare and education.[137] However, it did not join economic sanctions imposed on Russia by several Western countries and refused to provide military assistance to Ukraine.[138] Prime Minister Garibashvili argued in 2023 that sanctioning Russia would harm Georgia more than Russia, due to its dependence on Russian trade rather than vice versa.[c][139] He also accused the West of double standards, as it did not impose sanctions in 2008 when Georgia was invaded by Russia, and continuing "business as usual".[140]
Ever since the start of the war, Georgia has seen an increase in trade with Russia. Exports to Russia rose by 7% in 2022 while imports increased by 79%, making Georgia economically more reliant on Russia, as opposed to the trade between the EU and Russia, which decreased to a third of its original volume, with Russia's share in the EU's imports having fallen from 9.5% to 1.7%.[141][142] Additionally, the trade between the two countries rapidly grew in 2023 as well.[143] While Georgia did not take part in the economic sanctions against Russia, it initially did "act fully in accordance with the financial sanctions" imposed by the United States and others.[144] In 2024 reports surfaced however that the National Bank of Georgia was facilitating Russian importers to avoid Western financial sanctions by settling accounts in rubles.[143]
Russia abolished the visa regime for Georgians in May 2023 and lifted flight sanctions that were in place since July 2019.[145] Direct flights resumed within a few weeks, despite European and American objections.[146] Georgian Dream officials strongly defended the resumption of flights "as a step in the interests of the Georgian state and people".[147] The US ambassador to Georgia said the step undermined European sanctions and travel restrictions against Russia, by providing a "gateway for Russians to flood Europe".[148]
During the 2020 election campaign, Georgian Dream pledged to apply for membership in theEuropean Union in 2024. When Ukraine announced its application four days after the start of theRussian invasion, Georgian opposition politicians called for the country to do the same.[149] However, Georgian Dream reacted reluctantly, saying that not all commitments to apply had been fulfilled yet, and that Ukraine's case was rather a "political gesture" by the European Union amid the Ukraine war, a case that would not have applied to Georgia as it was not in the war. Thus, the party initially said that it would stick to its original schedule.[150] Nonetheless, it soon yielded to the pressure from the public and announced on 2 March 2022 to apply for EU membership, citing "the changed situation in the world".[151][152]
The relations with the EU soon deteriorated, a process that had already started when Garibashvili returned as prime minister in 2021. On 9 June 2022, the European Parliament adopted a six-page resolution that accused the government of Georgia of eroding press freedom in the country. It also recommended the European Council to sanction Ivanishvili for "his role in the deterioration of the political process in Georgia", the "level of control he exerts over the government and its decisions, including those on the politically motivated persecution of journalists and political opponents", and his "exposed personal and business links to the Kremlin, which determine the position of the current Government of Georgia towards sanctions on Russia".[153] In the same month, the European Union granted candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova, but postponed it for Georgia, citing the need for reforms by the ruling party.[154]
In the second half of her tenure, President Zourabichvili became increasingly alienated from Georgian Dream, as she criticized the government for what she described as the lack of commitment to the EU candidacy and limited support to Ukraine. In response, the government of PM Garibashvili denounced the President on a few occasions for traveling abroad where she planned to visitBrussels andParis without government authorization.[155] In the fall of 2023 Georgian Dream alleged Zourabichvili had violated the Constitution with these actions, but ultimately failed to impeach her due to lack of parliamentary support from the opposition.[156][157]
In December 2023, the EU granted Georgia candidate status and it first and foremost congratulated the Georgian people instead of the government.[158] Nevertheless, the Georgian Dream government had only fulfilled 3 out of the 12 priorities it got from the EU to earn the candidate status.[159]
On 30 December 2023 Ivanishvili declared his return to politics.[160] A month later, Garibashvili announced his resignation as prime minister, citing the importance of inter-party democracy and the need to "give others a chance". Garibashvili became the Chairman of the Georgian Dream party, while Irakli Kobakhidze replaced him as prime minister.[161]
Shortly after the start of theRussian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, several Ukrainian officials made remarks suggesting Georgia andMoldova to open a "second front" againstRussia.[162][163] Georgian Dream officials have heavily criticized those remarks, stating that a war with Russia would cause significant harm to Georgia.[164] Georgian Dream MPGia Volski called on the EU and US to "distance themselves" from statements from some Ukrainian officials to "see Georgia engage in war".[165]
Soon after, Georgian Dream's rhetoric turned conspiratorial accusing the so-called "Global War Party" of being behind such calls with which several pro-Western opposition parties are allegedly affiliated.[166][167] The party has recently expanded the conspiracy theory to accuse the alleged organization of being behind theattempted assassination of Robert Fico andDonald Trump.[168][169][170] Kobakhidze has further alleged threats on his life as well as a plot to topple his government.[171][172] The Western officials has dismissed the government's claims, with theUS Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian AffairsJames C. O'Brien referring to it as "Reddit page coming to life".[173]
Meanwhile, in 2022 a total of nine MPs left the Georgian Dream parliamentary faction to establishPeople's Power party. The MPs maintained their support for the government and are a part of the parliamentary majority. They explain their reasons for leaving as not being given the freedom to speak "the truth about the West" and its officials. The MPs expressed strong anti-western sentiments and spread conspiracy theories such as that in exchange for EU candidate status, the West ordered Georgia to partially give up its sovereignty and go to war with Russia.[174]
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In March 2023, Georgian Dream supported the drafting of the "Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence" which was presented by the People's Power party. Supporters of the bill have argued that it is needed to prevent foreign influence in Georgian politics and uphold the country's sovereignty.[175] The law would labelcivil society and media organizations that receive more than 20% of their total funding from abroad as "foreign agents", similar tolegislation introduced in Russia in 2012. Subsequently, it was denounced as a "Russian law" by the Georgian opposition and civil society. The proposed law was also criticized by the US State Department, theUnited Nations, and the European Union as it would stigmatize civil society and independent media organizations.[176]Major protests in March 2023 after forced Georgian Dream to pull its hands from the bill, promising they would not attempt to revive the legislation.[177] However, the promise was short-lived as Georgian Dream reintroduced and passed the 'foreign agent' bill in the spring of 2024.[178]
The step triggered the largest protests in Georgia's post-independence history as well as widespread condemnation from Western officials, withPresident of the European CommissionUrsula von der Leyen writing "the law on foreign influence transparency goes against core principles & values of the EU", theHigh Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security PolicyJosep Borrell called the bill "incompatible with EU values and standards" andDanish Foreign Ministry bluntly stating "Georgia will not advance on the path to EU membership".[179][180] Afterwards, President Salome Zourabichvili referred to the ruling party as the "Russian Dream".[181]
The government has been widely condemned for the use of excessive and disproportionate force when dispersing protests.[182][183] Riot police has been accused of consistent use ofviolence andtorture against protestors as well as opposition political figures, including UNM ChairLevan Khabeishvili as well as theCitizens chairAleko Elisashvili.[184][185][186][187] Even though the law enforcement has claimed to have opened a case into the claims of the use of excessive force, no police officer has been charged yet.[184] Furthermore, Prime Minister Kobakhidze has thanked Georgian police for handling protests with "higher standards" than in Europe or the United States. He did, however, single out "a few isolated incidents".[188]
Georgian Dream has been accused of deploying what its critics are callingTitushkys. The so-called Titushkys have taken part in mass beatings of opposition, civil society, and protestors,[189][190][191][192] damaging and defacing the opposition parties and NGO's offices,[193][194] and disrupting public events organized by the opposition.[195] The opposition has accused the government of being directly involved in the violence, a claim that was virtually admitted by the Georgian Dream lawmakerDito Samkharadze.[196][197][194] While investigations have started no charges have been given out.[198][199]
United States Senate in May 2024 considered a bipartisan Georgia sanctions bill that would target the Georgian Dream lawmakers, their families, and others who "have material responsibility for undermining or injuring democracy, human rights, or security in Georgia".[200] Similar sanctions as well as suspension of visa-free travel for the country have been pushed by several EU countries.[201]Mamuka Mdinaradze, the parliamentary majority leader, has stated that threatening Georgian officials with sanctions over passing legislation is unacceptable and instead asked the US to take steps that will strengthenGeorgia-US partnership, like the introduction of free economic relations, visa liberalization, and direct flights with Georgia.[202] The party has accused the United States of conducting a "policy of blackmail, intimidation".[203]
On 6 June theUnited States announced sanctions against Members of the Georgian Dream party, members ofParliament,law enforcement, private citizens, along their immediate family members, "responsible for or complicit inundermining democracy in Georgia, such as undermining thefreedom of peaceful assembly and association,violently attacking peaceful protesters, intimidatingcivil society representatives, and deliberately spreading disinformation at the direction of theGeorgian government".[78]
Ahead of the2024 parliamentary election Georgian Dream announced that it along with its more explicit anti-Western offshootPeople's Power would run on the same list.[204][205] Georgian Dream presented the election as a choice between "war and peace, moral degradation and traditional values, Georgia's subservience to external powers and an independent and sovereign state". The party promised to ban "LGBT propaganda" and change the constitution in ways that it sees could make reunification with the separatist territories easier.[206]
Georgian Dream has urged its supporters to grant them a constitutional majority, promising to use it to initiate a ban on the "collective National Movement", a term they use to refer to nearly all the major pro-Western parties, and declare them unconstitutional. The party has gone on to specify the term includes United National Movement,Strategy Agmashenebeli,European Georgia,Ahali,Girchi – More Freedom,Droa,Lelo for Georgia,For the People,Citizens,Freedom Square, andFor Georgia. Georgian Dream justifies the ban by accusing the parties of collaborating with UNM, which GD considers to have committed crimes during its rule, such as "dragging country in the2008 war with Russia" and instituting "the system of violence and torture". The party has compared the process to theNuremberg trials.[207][208][209][210] Analysts have warned that, if implemented, this move would mark "the end of Georgia's democracy".[211][212]
The Georgian Dream received approximately 54% in the parliamentary election according to the official results, although the opposition claimed that the elections were rigged and boycotted the parliament, which was followed by a new round ofprotests anda political crisis.
In 2025, there has been an alleged "purge" and "internal cleansing" within the Georgian Dream party under the auspices of the new Prime MinisterIrakli Kobakhidze, who replacedIrakli Garibashvili on this post in February 2024. This has targeted multiple high-ranking officials from the former leadership circle of the Georgian Dream.[213]
In February 2025, the leader of the parliamentary majorityMamuka Mdinaradze announced an anti-corruption campaign and the "ambitious goals" of the ruling party.[214] This was followed by the cabinet reshuffle within theSecond Kobakhidze government, including the resignation of former Prime MinisterIrakli Garibashvili (2021-2024) from his post of the chairman of the Georgian Dream, the head of theAdjarian Autonomous RepublicTornike Rizhvadze (2018-2025), theInterior Minister andVice Prime MinisterVakhtang Gomelauri (2019-2025) and the Director of theSpecial Tasks DepartmentZviad Kharazishvili.[215] The speculations followed about a rift between Gharibashvili and Kobakhidze, with some party members allegedly even applying a physical force against Garibashvili, although this was denied by Garibashvili himself, who claimed that he sustained injuries while exercising.[216]
On 21 June, formerDeputy Minister of EconomyRomeo Mikautadze (2022-2024) was arrested for alleged corruption.[217]
On 7 Jule, Tornike Rizhvadze was hospitalized after allegedly trying to commit a suicide at the house belonging to the mother of the director ofMaritime Transport Agency of Georgia,Aleksi Akhvlediani.[218]
On 8 July, Giorgi Ramishvili, the Director of theSilk Road Group, the fourth largest company in Georgia, was arrested in theTbilisi International Airport for an alleged illegal possession of a firearm,[219] although he was later released on 70,000 GEL bail.[220]
On 28 July, theDefence Ministry employees linked to the former Defence MinisterJuansher Burchuladze (2021-2024) were arrested on the charges of embezzlement.[221] This was followed by the arrest of Juansher Burchuladze himself on 12 September for his alleged involvement in the scheme.[222]
On 17 October, theProsecutor's Office of Georgia announced that the police conducted raids on homes of former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, formerState Security Service headGrigol Liluashvili (2019-2025), former Chief ProsecutorOtar Partskhaladze (2013) and 8 other associated individuals in 22 locations nationwide.[223]
Georgian Dream positions itself as acentre-left party.[224][225] However, political observers note that it has governed amorphously and lacks a clear ideology like manyparties of power.[226][227] Georgian Dream was initially considered a 'big tent' party, based on the different political strains that were present within the party, includingsocial democracy,market liberalism andsocial conservatism.[225] Its origins as an all-encompassing front in opposition to theUnited National Movement government contributed to the opaque political ideology. Georgian political scientist Levan Lortkipanidze described Georgian Dream as "a party which is held together through loyalty to its charismatic leader and the opposition to the government of the 'Rose Revolution'" (UNM).[226] Ivanishvili's form of government in the early years was described as "popularoligarchy".[228] The party was described as adhering to the "ideology-free"technocratic populism: transcendingright–left ideological landscape.[4]
Lately, Georgian Dream has been characterized as being more ideologically consistent. It is commonly labeled asconservative,[229]left-conservative,[41]ultraconservative,[233]national conservative,[236] orpopulist.[237] Moreover, the party officials increasingly self-identified the party as "conservative" or "traditionalist" by 2023.[238] However, the party has also maintained itscentre-left self-identification, condemning theParty of European Socialists for deviating from "classical social-democratic ideology" to "a pseudo-liberal platform".[239] The condemnation of the "pseudo-liberalism" and "liberal fascism" has often featured in the Georgian Dream rhetoric, usually concerning the sexual and gender matters.[62][240] Its style of governance has been generally described asilliberal,[255]autocratic,[259] as well asauthoritarian.[261] By 2025, the party has been described as "conservative left", adopting socially conservative and economically left-wing policies, as well as becoming increasingly "autocratic" in rhetoric.[41] Additionally, allegations ofdemocratic backsliding are common.[266]
In terms of foreign policy, duringits first election, Georgian Dream was described as the conciliatory alternative to the more resolutely anti-Russian government of Saakashvili.[267] The party supported joining theEuropean Union andNATO, while also promising balanced and friendly relations withRussia.[268][269] However, analysts frequently describe the party's foreign policy asanti-Western,[276]Eurosceptic,[277] andpro-Russian, despite the party itself rejecting such characterizations.[286] Regarding theEuropean integration, since mid-2019, with the rise of illiberalism within the party, it also became more critical of the European Union andsoft Eurosceptic in its rhetoric, still promising to join the EU but only "whilst playing by Georgian rules".[291] Political analysts describe this ideological shift in Georgian Dream assovereigntism,[292] closely associated withHungary and particularlyViktor Orbán, who has become Georgian Dream's key ally and ideological influence, fueling the "Orbanization of Georgia".[295] Georgian Dream leaders have maintained the party's official goal is still the Western integration, stating that Georgia will become "a member of the big family called Europe with our own identity and sovereignty".[296]Shalva Papuashvili, Georgian Dream's chair of parliament, has positioned the party as the only political force in Georgia "merging Europeanism and patriotism".[297] The analysts described the party's rhetoric on European Union and the European Integration since 2023 as being based on the idea of "two Europes": the "Good Europe" which is illiberal, traditional, moral, independent and just, represented by Orban government in Hungary, and the "Bad Europe", represented byBrussels, which is immoral, lacking values, undignified, unjust and controlled byshadowy powers.[298] Political analyst and a former member ofGeorgian Dream coalition Paata Zakareishvili, has described the party as "undemocratic but not anti-democratic, not Western but not anti-Western, not Russian but not anti-Russian."[299]
Georgian Dream espouses centre-left fiscal and economic views, based on maintaining welfare state, free-of-charge public healthcare and education, regulatory approach to the market, and a number ofenvironmental protection policies.[300] According to the Georgian Institute of Politics, Georgian Dream's economic policy by 2017 was a combination of the pre-existingfree market model, created by their predecessor United National Movement party, with a comprehensivesocial safety net.[225] The party supports welfare state expansion.[301] Its social policies included the introduction ofuniversal healthcare and a new labor code. However, a number of left-wing activists viewed the party as "ideologically amorphous", while Prime MinisterGiorgi Kvirikashvili described himself as "more of a centre-right politician".[302]
In 2017, Georgian Dream deputies supported the removal of the constitutional ban onprogressive taxation and the requirement to hold a referendum to raise corporate and income tax rates. These provisions were implemented in 2011 by the former ruling UNM party through itsEconomic Liberty Act. The proposal to amend the law was opposed by business groups and the political opposition, after which a compromise was reached that the ban would remain in place until 2029.[303]
The party also professed a commitment to "economic openness" and "market-driven growth". The main message of the 2020 election manifesto was 'effective' government and 'social prosperity'.[63] The economic section of the 2020 election manifesto advocated the continuation of low taxes, free market, small government, and less regulation, effectively containing some centre-right proposals.[304]
During his address to the Georgian Parliament in February 2021, Prime Minister-designate Irakli Garibashvili criticized the idea of aminimal state and the "invisible hand of the market". He said the "small state idea is a myth impeding the country's development" and called on the government to play anactive role in the economy, emphasizing that Georgia should become economically more self-sufficient.[64] He criticized the previous government for its free-market approach to economics. The speech was described as "a remarkable rhetorical break from Georgian political orthodoxy", which was more or less always supportive of thefree market economics and economic non-interventionism since its introduction by UNM and continuation by Georgian Dream.[305]
Despite the fact that Georgian Dream has always espoused rather conservative social views, the party has experienced a notable right-wing shift, with the party being accused of adoptingfar-right ideas onLGBT rights and other social and cultural issues.[62][16] According to some analysts, during its first years the Georgian Dream had little in common ideologically with the right-wing movements such asAlliance of Patriots andGeorgian March, and although at times it found them as useful allies against the common enemy — theUnited National Movement of former PresidentMikheil Saakashvili — the Georgian Dream's rhetoric and actions began to be consistently characterized as "influenced by the illiberal ideas" only by 2024.[241] Nevertheless, the party is described as having progressive green values as well as a liberal position on the rights of ethnic minorities.[301]
Even though Georgian Dream had a largelysocially conservative and religious base, as many priests of theGeorgian Orthodox Church supported the party coming to power in 2012, Georgian Dream initially had a relatively liberal approach to LGBT rights.[306] Prior to a rally to mark theInternational Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia in May 2013, Prime Minister Ivanishvili openly defended LGBT rights by saying they "have the same rights as any other social groups" in Georgia and that "society will gradually get used to it".[307] In a highly conservative and religious society, Ivanishvili became the first Georgian politician to openly make such statement.[306] However, the party failed to stop the rally being violently disrupted by tens of thousands of anti-gay protesters led by Orthodox Church clergy.[308]
As precondition for Georgia to obtain relaxed visa procedures with theEuropean Union, the Georgian Dream government passed ananti-discrimination law in 2014,[309][310] which also providedprotection against discrimination of sexual minorities, making Georgia the mostLGBT-friendly country in theSouth Caucasus.[311] The law was highly criticized by theGeorgian Orthodox Church.[312]
However, Georgian Dream opposessame-sex marriage in Georgia. In response to conservative criticism of the anti-discrimination law, Georgian Dream proposed to put a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, despite an existing implicit ban in the Civil Code.[313] Prime Minister Garibashvili said this step was necessary to avoid confusion in society that the anti-discrimination law granted any new rights or privileges to any group and that it would lead to same-sex marriages in the future.[314] The constitution was eventually amended in 2018, defining marriage as "a union between a woman and a man for the purpose of creating a family".[315]
Over time, the party has grown more conservative and outspoken against what they perceive as "LGBT-propaganda" and has been accused of usinghomophobia as a political tool.[316] In July 2021, Prime MinisterIrakli Garibashvili argued against holding thegay parade onRustaveli Avenue in Tbilisi as "unreasonable", offering alternative locations, saying it contains the risk of "civil confrontation" as the majority of the populace finds such a parade "unacceptable".[317] The parade was cancelled when the authorities did not provide safety guarantees.[318] Garibashivili's remarks prompted thousands of far-right radicals toattack the Tbilisi Pride office, activists and journalists, which led to dozens being injured.[319] Garibashvili dismissed the attack as "very unfortunate", but said that "violence happens everywhere", for whichTbilisi Pride criticized him as "homophobic" and "anti-state".[320]
Two years later, the party denounced "LGBT propaganda among children" andblamed it for increasing numbers of people who identify as LGBT in Western countries. In a speech at the ultra-conservativeCPAC-conference, Garibashvili spoke of the importance of preserving "traditional values" and the inadmissibility of "violence by the minority against the majority" in a denunciation of "aggressive propaganda" as a tool to forcefully change the traditional values of the majority.[321][322]
Georgian Dream introducedconstitutional amendments in 2024 to "protect family values and minors" and to allow marriage only of "a union of a single genetic male and a single genetic female", narrowing the marriage rights on top of the already existing ban onsame-sex marriage. The amendments would further prohibit what the party calls "LGBT propaganda",gender transition andadoption of children by same-sex couples.[323]
Georgian Dream has a liberal policy regardingmarijuana.[324] In June 2017, the Prime MinisterGiorgi Kvirikashvili scrupulously expressed his support fordrug liberalization, saying that harsh drug policy goes against human rights.[325] However, the government made little progress on the reform, arguably because of its largelysocially conservative base and influence ofGeorgian Orthodox Church in the country, which spurred the2018 Georgian protests following anightclub raid over illegal drug trade. As a result of a lawsuit by the members ofGirchi party, theConstitutional Court of Georgia legalized the personal use of marijuana. Thus, the constitutional court spearheaded the reform promised by the prime minister.[325] Georgia became the first country the first post-Soviet country to legalize the consumption of marijuana.[326]
On 11 September 2018, it became known that Georgian Dream was considering a draft law to legalize medical marijuana cultivation and production.[327] However, the idea was abandoned following strong protests from theGeorgian Orthodox Church. Therefore, while personal use of cannabis is legal in Georgia, large-scale cultivation and sale of cannabis is illegal.[328]
During the 2024Conservative Political Action Conference in Hungary, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze denounced thedrug liberalization campaigns, describing the drugs as "transforming a person from an intelligent individual into a subject devoid of values".[329] In February 2025, the Georgian Dream announced the legislative amendments to toughen drug policies.[330]
The party had an ambiguous position on gender equality. In 2017, the party voted in favor of the ratification of theIstanbul Convention in Georgia and it launched an amendment to the Election Code introducing gender quota. This would require political parties that participate in elections to include women in every fourth position on their party lists, in order to increase female representation in politics. However, the initiative failed to pass through parliament.[331] Ahead of the2020 Georgian parliamentary election, the gender quota for political parties was adopted, albeit under pressure of the European Union and theOSCE.[332][333] Further amendments to extend and expand the quota were adopted in February 2023.[334] However, in 2024 Georgian Dream backtracked on its earlier position and supported the initiative of theright-libertarianGirchi party to repeal the gender quota legislation.[335][336]
In 2013, theGeorgian Orthodox Church called the Georgian government to ban abortions, which it described as a "terrible sin" and "heinous murder", while blaming it for the "grave demographic situation" in the country. Georgia's then Prime MinisterBidzina Ivanishvili brushed off the proposal, stating that solving demographic problems "first and foremost needs economic development".[337]
After the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Georgia emerged as one of the most popular destinations forRussians who have left their country following the start of the war as Georgia has visa free regime towards Russian citizens since 2015. Georgian Dream described their arrival as "a new economic opportunity" and downplayed criticism as "hysterical".[338][339] However, in February 2025, the party announced its intention to tighten migration laws.[340][330] During the 2024Conservative Political Action Conference in Hungary, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze criticized the "uncontrolled migration" in the European countries. He warned that that if the mass migration continued in the European countries, the local population would soon become a minority.[329] In April 2025, the Georgian Interior Ministry has submitted legislative amendments to restrict the presence of foreigners who commit crimes or overstay, as well as the procedure to receive asylum. According to the ministry, the proposals were presented to "improve the fight against illegal migration and refine regulations related to the granting of asylum".[341]
During the2024 Georgian parliamentary election campaign,Bidzina Ivanishvili, the honorary chairman of the Georgian Dream, unveiled the party's proposal to make theOrthodox Christianity astate religion in Georgia. The ruling party presented this initiative as part of their commitment to uphold "national values and traditions," in line with their campaign promises to ban "LGBT propaganda" and reinforce the role of the Church.[342] Ivanishvili said that Christianity, along with the homeland and language, was "one of the key foundations of our [Georgian] identity".[343] During theConservative Political Action Conference in Hungary, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze noted that Georgia adopted theChristianity as its state religion back in the 4th century, and emphasized that the Christianity has importantly shaped the Georgian national identity, using the slogan of the 19th centuryGeorgian nationalist writer,Ilia Chavchavadze — "Language, Homeland, Faith".[329]
In contrast, the Georgian Orthodox Church has expressed skepticism, fearing that such a change could compromise its independence and increase government control. High-ranking clergy members, including MetropolitanShio Mujiri and MetropolitanNikoloz Pachuashvili, have raised concerns about the potential implications of this proposal, arguing that it could alter the traditionally independent yet cooperative relationship between the state and the Church established by the2002 Concordat.[344] The Georgian Orthodox Church spokesman Andria Jaghmaidze praised the proposal for "upholding the national values and traditions" and reflecting the government's desire to "strengthen the Church's role and status further", but also described it as "spontaneous" and suggested that the idea required the further deliberation.[342] After the Georgian Orthodox Church (GOC) turned down the ruling party's proposal on declaring the GOC as the state religion in Georgia, on 31 August, during the campaign rally speech inOzurgeti, Bidzina Ivanishvili once again addressed the issue. He confirmed the ongoing discussions between the Georgian Orthodox Church and the ruling party on the constitutional status of the Georgian Orthodox Church. He said that the proposed amendment by the ruling party would clarify the Orthodox Christianity as the "pillar of the Georgian statehood" and emphasize its role in the country's history and present.[345]
The party has consistently projected a progressive image onenvironmental issues.[346] The party advocates for banning old cars for their high carbon emissions and introducing a corporategreen tax for businesses that cause environmental pollution.[301][347] Kakha Kaladze, the mayor of Tbilisi, has highlighted the importance of taking some "unpopular steps" in order to improve the existing ecological situation and creategreen spaces.[348] Nevertheless, somegreen activists have questioned the party's environmentalist credentials.[349]
On foreign policy, Georgian Dream positions itself in favor of joiningNATO and theEuropean Union, which the far majority of Georgians support,[350] while at the same time "restoring friendly relations with Russia", as outlined by Ivanishvili in January 2013.[269] However, the party's commitment toEuro-Atlantic aspirations is consistently questioned as is its alleged pivot towardsRussia.[351][352][353]
Taras Kuzio has characterized the government as pursuing a "centrist balancing act", with him describing Georgian post-independence politics as rotiation between the centrists and national democrats: the centrists pursue multi-vectoral policy and seek to balance the pro-Western policy with taking into account Russia, while national democrats pursue mono-directional policy and emphasize Russia's role in the past historical wrongs. He noted similar trends in other post-Soviet countries like Azerbaijan and Ukraine, while domestically comparing the Georgian Dream government to that of former Georgian PresidentEduard Shevardnadze and his partyUnion of Citizens of Georgia. He also noted that while the centrists in Georgia and Ukraine do espouse the pro-NATO and pro-EU membership rhetoric, their steps in this direction are less vigorous than those of their national democrat opponents because of the desire not to inflame relations with Russia.[354]
Although proclaiming apro-European agenda, since the 2020s Georgian Dream's actual policy on the European Union has been described asEurosceptic.[13][22][23][24] The party has positioned itself as combining Western values and Georgian traditional values, as well as being in favor of the European integration while safeguarding Georgia from what it considers as unnecessary and excessive encroachment on its sovereignty from the European institutions.[355][356] Critics have denounced this as "doublethink", stating the party says "they favor accession to the European Union, but their actions aim to purge EU values from the country".[357]
In its first ruling term, Georgian Dream achieved significant steps towardsEuropean integration, such as anAssociation Agreement and visa-free travel to theSchengen Area.[d] In its second ruling term, Georgian Dream focused on integration rather than accession of Euro-Atlantic structures as end-goal, in a "realistic" adjustment of its foreign policy.[225] However, the more Georgia advanced with European integration, requiring the need for judicial, rule of law, and anti-corruption reforms, the more strained the party's relationship with the EU leaders became.[358] This converged with increasinganti-western propaganda by Georgian Dream leaders, piloting what some consider pro-Russian narratives, "seemingly designed to offend" its Western partners.[359] The adoption of legislation which has been declared incompatible with EU membership on multiple occasions by the EU,[360] such as the "foreign agents" bill, is considered deliberate sabotage of the accession process by Georgian Dream.[7][361][362][363]
The party's official position regarding the European Union and its accession process is that it plans to make Georgia part of the European Union with the Georgian government "playing by Georgian rules" and maintaining its dignity.[287] The party has presented its view of the West and the European Integration in illiberal terms, claiming the support for the basic tenets of the constitutional democracy as the defining factors of the Western civilization, while opposing the "pseudo-liberal" agenda promoted by the NGOs and other "forces, which are challenging our national identity, traditions and the Georgian churches, as well as the forces, which are challenging the very same values in the U.S.", which "are unacceptable for us".[364]Irakli Kobakhidze maintained that Georgia "will become a member of the European Union with dignity, independence, freedom and sovereignty".[365] Amid discussion of the foreign agent law in 2023, Prime MinisterIrakli Garibashvili said that "time of Georgian authorities serving foreign interests is over", in particular, he denounced "MEPs and some corrupt bureaucrats" for their efforts to "dictate their rules to the Georgian people".[366] Georgian Dream members often criticize what they consider as unfair treatment from the European Union, such as the EU's rejection of Georgia's membership application in June 2022, which the PM Garibashvili called an "unfair decision". Garibashvili said that Georgia is ahead of both Moldova and Ukraine, which were granted the EU candidacy, in terms of reforms and performance, and that while Georgia was required the judicial, rule of law, and anti-corruption reforms before receiving the EU candidacy, Moldova and Ukraine were also given these priorities but they received the EU candidacy in advance.[367] The Georgian Dream officials often lament the EU for what they consider as the "lack of merit-based approach" regarding Georgia, instead being driven by what they consider as the unacceptable "political agenda".[368][369][370]
Georgian Dream has often criticized the EU and US for conducting foreign interference in Georgian domestic politics. As such, Garibashvili referred to Mikheil Saakashvili as "European Parliament's agent" who they wanted to see return to power and passed "shameful" resolutions to support Saakashvili, while "disregarding the opinion of the Georgian people" about Saakashvili who "tortured [and] killed people, terrorised the business and completely suppressed the media freedom".[366] In response to the comments made by the Western ambassadors that Georgia must not pass the foreign influence law, such as the statement by the United States ambassadorKelly C. Degnan that Georgia "does not need this law",[371] PM Kobakhidze slammed the "foreign diktat" and challenged foreign ambassadors to a TV debate. He stated that the ambassadors "are trying to assume the functions of the legislator, participate in the legislative process and dictate to the supreme body of the representative democracy which laws it should pass or not".[372] Kobakhidze further opined that Georgia will become a member of the European Union only as a part of a "unity of sovereign states".[373]
At first, Georgian Dream pursued NATO membership for Georgia, but in line with its political development, the party effectively abandoned this policy by 2019,[241] which became most visible after the start of theRussian invasion of Ukraine in 2022.[374][375] In 2023 at the Global Security Forum, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili blamed NATO enlargement as "one of the main reasons for Ukraine war".[375] Garibashvili later defended the statement by saying that he did not blame NATO for the war with this statement, but rather said that a desire to join NATO was the reason for war, and claimed that his statement was similar to that made byUrsula von der Leyen when she said that Ukraine was under attack for its desire to be part of "European family".[376][377]
In July 2025, EU foreign policy chiefKaja Kallas threatened Georgia with suspension of visa liberalisation, the suspension of the EU-Georgia Association Agreement, and sanctions.[378]
Georgian Dream's policy towardsRussia is subject to debate among political analysts with some describing their approach as cautious, while a number of analysts see the party moving Georgia into the "Russian orbit".[381][382] In recent years, Georgian Dream has been widely described as pro-Russian.[383] However, the party rebukes this characterization and outlines their policy as "pragmatic and principled" describing their doctrine as "strategic patience".[384][385]
Georgian Dream supports the normalization of relations with the Russian Federation, strained after the 2008Russo-Georgian War. The party has stressed the importance of Georgia having "normal, peaceful relations" with its "largest neighbor" aimed at "avoiding harm to Georgia [and] its citizens".[385][386] In terms of normalization, the party has highlighted an economic and trade dimension rather than a political one.[387][388] During the 2012 election campaign the party vowed to restore economic relations with Russia hampered by the2006 Russian ban of Moldovan and Georgian wines, citing the importance of the Russian market for Georgian citizens working in the wine industry as Russia was responsible for 80–90% of the total wine exports from Georgia before the ban. Nevertheless, Ivanishvili has ruled out Georgia joining the Russian-ledEurasian Economic Union.[389]
In the political dimension, Georgia under the Georgian Dream party continued to have no diplomatic relations with Russia (with diplomatic relations being broken after the 2008 war and Georgia being the one among only five UN members to have no diplomatic relations with Russia along withUkraine,Bhutan, theSolomon Islands, andMicronesia).[390] The party has also condemned the 2014Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation andRussian invasion of Ukraine.[391] According to some political commentators, the party supports "civilizational" and military alignment with the West rather than with Russia, however, its approach is not based on harsh anti-Russian rhetoric and uncompromising pro-Western policy, promising to combine pro-Western orientation with "normalization of relations" with Russia.[392]
In return Georgian Dream has been described by all major pro-Western opposition parties as pro-Russian. In the2012 parliamentary election Ivanishvili was painted by the government as a "Russian stooge" and some analysts described the party as a "Russian project".[267][393] The critics claimed that the party's lax stance on Russia was proof of the government's pro-Russian politics.[394] The government's political and economic rapprochement with Russia, its increasing anti-western rhetoric, and the passing of the "foreign agents" bill, are viewed by a number of analysts and the opposition, including the PresidentSalome Zourabichvili, as further proof of the party being pro-Russian and under the influence of Russia.[181][353][357][359][395][396]
Georgian Dream however dismisses the "pro-Russian" labeling, claiming that their approach is focused on a balancing act between Russia and other regional powers intended to maintain peace and stability in Georgia.[397][398] Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili described this in 2023 as "navigating through the turbulent situation to survive".[367] Critics of this position have called the approach "attractive and tempting in theory", but "unrealistic and superfluous" in reality.[399]
The launching of the normalization of relations was signified by the first two-way meeting of Russian and Georgian officials after the2008 war held inPrague in December 2012. A "pragmatic" policy towards Russia, has been welcomed byMoscow.[400] However, since the Georgian Dream party opposed the restoration of formal diplomatic and political ties with Russia until thedisputes with Russia over Abkhazia and South Ossetia were resolved,[401] a Georgian diploimat Zurab Abashidze was appointed as a Special Representative of the Georgian government to mend ties outside formal diplomatic relations by meeting periodically with his Russian counterpartGrigory Karasin on neutral ground in Prague.[402] The "Prague Format" of Russia-Georgia relations was not meant to facilitate the resolution of disputes regarding Abkhazia and South Ossetia, as both sides remained at odds over these issues.[403] Abashidze emphasized that the question of its territorial integrity is Georgia's "red line" on which no concession is conceivable.[404] The Prague Format was rather focused on a pragmatic process on matters of mutual interest that are unrelated to the breakaways.[403]
The Georgian Dream government has also pressed for dialogue with Russia on the issue of breakaway regions, as the Georgian Dream party has stressed that the only viable option to solve the disputes is through negotiations.[405] In particular, the Georgian government asked Russia to include the issue of breakaway regions during the bilateral talks in 2014 and 2015,[403] while Prime MinisterGiorgi Kvirikashvili has publicly appealed to the Russian government in 2018 for "reasonable steps for bringing the Georgian-Russian relations out of a vicious circle" caused by the 2008 war, which he called a "dramatic development that has left a deep imprint on the consciousness of the Georgian people and on the Russian-Georgian relations". He also criticized the previous government's policy as harming the prospects of normalizing relations, commenting that "even the slightest change of [policy] is regarded as treason by this so-called opposition".[406]
Georgian Dream officials have been particularly critical of what they consider as Saakashvili's confrontational approach to Russia, which Ivanishvili denounced for bringing only "negative results".[407] The party's official stance regarding the 2008Russo-Georgian war is that it was provoked by the Saakashvili government. The party officials have accused UNM of committing treason against the Georgian people by provoking the2008 war with Russia. Moreover, Ivanishvili elaborated that the war was "ordered from outside" by theGlobal War Party with UNM being its agents.[408][409][410] Ivanishvili has accused the previous government of "engulfingOssetian people in the flames of fire" calling on Georgia to apologize for the war. The party has additionally promised to hold the "Nuremberg trials" against UNM for "starting the war".[411] Some analysts see Georgian Dream shifting the blame for the war to its opponent Saakashvili for the reason of normalizing relations with Russia.[412] Some lobby groups and individuals allegedly aligned with Georgian Dream have attempted to promote restoring diplomatic relations between Russia and Georgia, though the Georgian Dream government has declared the ongoing nature of theRussian occupation of territory in Georgia a "red line" preventing official relations.[413]
Georgia–Ukraine relations became strained soon after Georgian Dream came to power. The primary conflict had to do with ex-President Mikheil Saakashvili being granted Ukrainian citizenship and being placed in various governmental positions, while the Georgian government sought his extradition and prosecution for abuse of power, embezzlement, and his implication in the attempted murder of an opposition MP.[e] The dysfunctional relationship continued after the start of the 2022Russian invasion of Ukraine, with theUkrainian government calling on sanctions against Ivanishvili.[414][415]
Georgian Dream ruled out imposing economic sanctions on Russia and providingmilitary aid to Ukraine but vowed to support Ukraine in the diplomatic arena.[416] Nikoloz Samkharadze, Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee of Georgian Parliament argued Georgia is restricted to do more by the presence of Russian troops on its territory, not far from the capital.[417] Prime Minister Garibashvili allured to western hypocrisy by recalling that in the aftermath of the 2008Russo-Georgian War no sanctions were imposed by the Western countries on Russia.[405]
When Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, Georgian Dream imposed sanctions onRussian-annexed Crimea, which mirrored Ukraine's restrictions on trade and financial transactions with Georgia's breakaway regions,Abkhazia andSouth Ossetia, and was meant to signal Georgia's support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine. However, it did not impose sanctions on Russia proper to avoid tensions and its reciprocal steps which would have undermined relations.[403]
Since its inception Georgian Dream affiliated with European and global social democratic umbrella organizations, but in 2023 the ties were severed due to the divergent ideological development of the party in relation to the political values of these umbrella organizations.[418]
At the global level, Georgian Dream was a member of theProgressive Alliance, the global umbrella organization ofsocial democratic parties. However, the two silently parted ways sometime in the summer of 2023.[419] Until 29 June 2023, Georgian Dream was an observer member of theParty of European Socialists (PES), the pan-European social democratic party, when it was expelled from it.[28] The increasingly illiberal policies of Georgian Dream strained the relationship with PES, which began to review the partnership with GD by April 2023.[420]
The final drop for PES was the opening speech of Prime MinisterIrakli Garibashvili at the conference of the conservativeConservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) inBudapest on 4 May 2023. On the same day PES released a statement denouncing the participation of the Georgian Prime Minister in the CPAC conference, with PES Vice PresidentKati Piri stating "the actions of Prime Minister Garibashvili are unacceptable and place him completely outside the values of our political family".[421] Anticipating expulsion, GD turned around the narrative and announced it was leaving PES itself.[420] Explaining its decision, Georgian Dream argued that the "ideological transformation of PES is unacceptable and incompatible with the values of the party and the Georgian people",[420] and that PES allegedly moved away from "classical social-democratic ideology and switched to a pseudo-liberal platform".[422]
During the CPAC in Hungary in 2025, Kobakhidze had a meeting withEstonian Conservative People's Party (EKRE) leaderMartin Helme, who pledged to send an EKRE delegation to visit Georgia after the2025 Estonian municipal elections.[423]
The party is led by the Chairperson, who is the highest-ranking official within the party and is elected by the Party Congress.
The Chairperson's responsibilities include representing the party externally, signing and disseminating decisions of statutory bodies, chairing meetings of the Political Council, issuing official directives, and overseeing the appointment or dismissal of key party officials, including political service heads and regional representatives. The Chairperson's mandate may only be terminated prematurely by a decision of the Party Congress.
The current Party Chair isIrakli Kobakhidze.
| Election | Leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Bidzina Ivanishvili | 1,184,612 | 54.97 | 41 / 150 | new | 1st | Parliamentary majority |
| As part of theGeorgian Dream coalition, which won 85 seats | |||||||
| 2016 | Giorgi Kvirikashvili | 857,394 | 48.65 | 115 / 150 [f] |  74 | 1st | Constitutional majority |
| 2020 | Giorgi Gakharia | 928,004 | 48.22 | 90 / 150 |  25 |  1st | Parliamentary majority |
| 2024 | Irakli Kobakhidze | 1,120,053 | 53.93 | 89 / 150 [g] | 1 | 1st | Parliamentary majority |
| Election year | Candidate | 1st round | 2nd round | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Votes | % | Rank | Votes | % | Rank | ||
| 2013 | Giorgi Margvelashvili | 1,012,569 | 62.12 | 1st | |||
| 2018 | endorsedSalome Zourabichvili | 615,572 | 38.64 | 1st | 1,147,701 | 59.52 | 1st |
| 2024 | endorsedMikheil Kavelashvili | 224 | 99.56 | unopposed | |||
| Election | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 719 431 | 50.82 | 1,370 / 2,088 | new | 1st |
| 2017 | 838 154 | 55.81 | 1,610 / 2,058 | 240 | 1st |
| 2021 | 824 755 | 46.75 | 1,358 / 2,068 | 252 | 1st |
| 2025[424] | 1 106 965 | 81.73 | 1,954 / 2,058 | 596 | 1st |
| Name | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| Giorgi Margvelashvili | 17 November 2013 | 16 December 2018 |
| Name | From | To |
|---|---|---|
| Bidzina Ivanishvili | 25 October 2012 | 20 November 2013 |
| Irakli Gharibashvili | 20 November 2013 | 30 December 2015 |
| Giorgi Kvirikashvili | 30 December 2015 | 13 June 2018 |
| Mamuka Bakhtadze | 20 June 2018 | 2 September 2019 |
| Giorgi Gakharia | 8 September 2019 | 18 February 2021 |
| Irakli Gharibashvili | 22 February 2021 | 29 January 2024 |
| Irakli Kobakhidze | 8 February 2024 | Present |
Ivanishvili founded the Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party on 22 April 2012.
He is a founder of the "Georgian Dream- Democratic Georgia" party, which is staying for social democracy, social market economy, and social conservatism, however, its politics is different from Mikheil Saakashvili's "United National Movement" party.
However, since the syncretic Georgian Dream Party came into power in 2012, signs of democratic backsliding and authoritarianism have emerged.
And with a five per cent threshold to enter parliament, the dozen smaller parties opposing the government are likely to be left out of the legislature, leaving only one party – the centre-right United National Movement – to stand against the centre-left Georgian Dream.
Whilst fiscally centre-left, Georgian Dream campaigned on a socially conservative platform, aiming to preserve Georgian traditions and religious culture as opposed to submitting to the liberal behemoth of the EU.
As the relationship between Georgian Dream (still nominally a centre-left party) and its partners in the Party of European Socialists has largely ended through its exit from the parliamentary bloc, GD could still count on Orbán's Hungary to advocate for the country's candidacy into the EU.
... and the ruling party "Georgian Dream" (Pro-Europeanism, Social democracy, Third Way, Social liberalism, Conservatism, political position: Centre to Centre-left).
the right-wing Georgian Dream Party
the ruling conservative Georgian Dream party
the conservative Georgian Dream party
Georgia's government, led by Irakli Garibashvili of the social democratic Georgian Dream party, is being exceedingly careful on the geopolitical and military files for fear of provoking a fight with Russia.
Founded by the oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, a friend of Putin, the Georgian Dream lacks a clear ideology. Despite being labelled by some European media as a "centre-left" party, its leadership has adopted far-right ideas.
Bidzina Ivanishvili, is promising an authoritarian makeover for the country" party.
In line with their election promises, the ideological platform of the party program is partially left-centrist: "effective" government and "social welfare" remain the main message of the program.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)Kobakhidze hailed Orbán and his government as 'role models for everyone' for defending Hungarians' national identity from migrants and 'so-called liberal propaganda'. He echoed the common European far-right talking point on Great Replacement, noting that if the migration rates 'continue[d] at the current pace, the local population in many European countries will very soon be a minority'.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)Finally, the GD supports environmental protection by supporting the introduction of new regulations, e.g. taxes; while the UNM prefers a rather libertarian approach. [...] Even though these four issues belong to different policy areas – healthcare, education, and economic policies, all of them can be combined in the domain of the welfare state. The positions of the two aforementioned parties suggest that the GD advocates for welfare state expansion in general, as a left-wing party typically would, while the UNM advocates for welfare state limitation, as a right-wing party would. It seems that welfare policies constitute a political cleavage in Georgia and that the positions of the GD and UNM are rather consistent with their declared ideologies. [...] The third clear theme comprises green issues relating to banning old cars for their high levels of carbon emissions and introducing a corporate green tax for businesses that cause environmental pollution. In this area, the GD has rather progressive views and agrees with both ideas, while the UNM opposes them. [...] Overall, the GD has rather conservative cultural values along with progressive green values.
Crucially, throughout the last 18 months, representatives of Georgian Dream and the government have increasingly begun to make hostile statements about their Western partners. News organization OC Media reports that, between February and July 2022, Georgian Dream chair Irakli Kobakhidze made only nine comments critical of Russia but a total of 57 negative remarks about the West and 26 about Ukraine. Georgian Dream leaders have often presented their criticism of the US and the EU in the last year as warnings against foreign interference in Georgian domestic politics. Yet the fact that they have done so in ways seemingly designed to offend suggests that they want to push representatives of Western powers to leave Georgia.
"We rest on values such as democracy, rule of law, human rights protection, justice, equality and tolerance, but at the same time, pseudo-liberalism and the forces, which are challenging our national identity, traditions and the Georgian churches, as well as the forces, which are challenging the very same values in the U.S., are unacceptable for us," he [Kobakhidze] said.
Furthermore, a unidimensional discourse explains why the Georgian Dream party is sometimes referred to as a pro-Russian party by political opponents. GD's approach is not based on harsh anti-Russian rhetoric or an uncompromising Western foreign orientation. Instead, the ruling party advocates for a "normalization" policy towards Russia (Kakachia et al. 2018). Even though GD's position is that the West is the civilizational choice for Georgia, and supports military alignment with the West, scores on the other two sub-dimensions, rhetoric and geopolitics, are not as close to the ideal type of pro-Western orientation.
