(IWPR) Ahead of Georgia’s upcoming parliamentary elections, new forces are emerging to try and win support from an electorate disillusioned with the current ruling coalition.
According to a pre-election survey, most voters in Georgia have not decided who they will vote for in the October 8 polls.
Analysts say that this could not only lead to previously unseen political alliances but also domestic unrest in a country still working on strengthening its democratic institutions.
“Georgians have thus far held fast to their commitments to independence, prosperity, and democracy. Yet these principles are tested at each political crossroads,” the National Democratic Institute (NDI), a Washington-based NGO that works to support democracy around the world, said in a statement last month.
“If Georgia’s democratic future is thwarted, the impact on the broader region would be profound.” […]
“There are two main forces – clearly pro-Western [or] neutral in relation to Russia,” said Kornely Kakachia, director of the Georgian Institute of Politics. “But there is also a third side, openly pro-Russian forces, which could get into parliament, especially if they unite and create an alliance.” […]
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