Salome Zourabichvili, Georgia's ceremonial president, has emerged as a vocal critic of the ruling Georgian Dream party's authoritarian tendencies and their jeopardization of Georgia's European aspirations.
Zourabichvili’s role in Georgia is ceremonial, but far from fading into irrelevance in the twilight of her presidency, she has become a rallying figure for those opposed to the erosion of democracy and the abandonment of Georgia’s European aspirations. On Sunday,Zourabichvili’s presidency, initially seen as a compromise, has morphed into an extraordinary counterpoint to Georgian Dream’s authoritarian position.
Her unwavering rhetoric and incisive critiques have galvanised public sentiment, particularly among Georgia’s youth, who have been a force in anti-government protests and who talk about her affectionately (“Slay Queen!”) on social media.the BBC’s Russia editor, Steve Rosenberg, asked Zourabichvili: “But what if Georgian Dream ignores this, ignores you?” She answered: “What if we ignore them?” Zourabichvili’s transformation has taken place in a political climate created by an increasingly audacious ruling party. Under the de facto leadership of oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, Georgian Dream has systematically undermined the country’s institutions. The recent election of Kavelashvili as president epitomises this. Lacking qualifications and public support, Kavelashvili is a figurehead whose loyalty to Ivanishvili is his primary credential. His selection reveals Ivanishvili’s disdain for the presidency as an institution and his broader goal of consolidating power while dismantling the already weak democratic checks and balances in Georgia. The election in October – which Georgian Dream won but which many Georgians believe was rigged – deepened the crisis. The ruling party violated constitutional norms, manipulated the electoral process, and dismissed domestic and international concerns. The government’s isolationist agenda has also alienated Georgia from the EU, which once saw the nation as a promising candidate for membership.Demonstrators rally to protest over the government’s decision to suspend EU accession talks in Tbilisi, Georgia, 25 December 202
GEORGIA POLITICS AUTHORITARIANISM DEMOCRACY EUROPEAN UNION
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