Georgia is holding elections on Saturday (October 26) that may very well decide the east European nation’s future.
Two starkly opposing parties are contesting the elections. The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party is friendly to Russia and the Opposition United National Movement (UNM) party is pro-West and pro-EU.
Georgia’s accession to the European Union (EU) is also at stake. While the UNM support EU membership, the pro-Russia GD is effectively against the membership.
Ahead of the elections, Russia has also waged a disinformation campaign to bolster GD’s case and demonise the West and pro-West UNM.
Here is why the 2024 Georgia election is so critical.
A referendum between joining EU and Russian orbit
The Georgian elections have become a referendum on the place of the nation in the world.
The victory of Opposition would mean an embrace of the EU but the victory of incumbent GD, which has run the nation since 2012, would mean the country would slip further into Russian orbit.
Last year, a poll found that 89 per cent of Georgians preferred to be part of the EU.
EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell has said that the Georgian elections will determine “which way they want to go: toward Europe or getting apart from Europe.
Content retrieved from: https://www.firstpost.com/world/as-pro-west-russia-friendly-forces-contest-georgia-elections-heres-what-at-stake-13829293.html.
