Already a subscriber? Make sure to log into your account before viewing this content. You can access your account by hitting the “login” button on the top right corner. Still unable to see the content after signing in? Make sure your card on file is up-to-date.

Following contentious elections in Georgia, thousands of Georgians have taken to the streets to protest the victory of the Georgian Dream party, which the government claims has backing from Russia.

Let’s bring you up to speed: In the recent Georgian parliamentary election, the ruling Georgian Dream party claimed a decisive victory with nearly 54% of the vote, while the main opposition coalition received about 38%. Allegations of election rigging soon followed, with Georgian election monitors and international observers reporting widespread irregularities, including voter intimidation, vote-buying, and ballot-stuffing.

Georgia’s President, Salome Zourabichvili, who aligns with pro-European values, has claimed that the election was influenced by Russia and has publicly called on citizens to protest. In a message on X, she wrote, “A full picture must emerge of this planned theft-robbing us of votes, parliament, the constitution! We are united-no one will accept these unjust results. Peacefully, we will defend your right to be heard. The voice of the people matters & we will uphold it!”

Russia calls bullshit: Despite the claims from the country’s president, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, “We strongly reject such accusations – as you know, they have become standard for many countries. At the slightest thing, they immediately accuse Russia of interference… There was no interference, and the accusations are absolutely unfounded.” He added that the vote is “the choice of the Georgian people.”

Digging into the Georgian Dream party: The Georgian Dream party, now the ruling political force in Georgia, has faced growing allegations of close alignment with Russian interests, sparking concern from domestic opposition and international observers. Critics argue that Georgian Dream has systematically adopted policies reminiscent of Russian governance, including a controversial ‘foreign agent’ law targeting organizations with foreign funding—a move seen by some as undermining civil society and echoing restrictive Russian legislation. Despite the claims, Georgian Dream leaders still support growing their relations with the EU.

US reacts: In a statement, US Secretary Antony Blinken said, “While international and local observers agreed that Election Day was generally well administered, we note reports of irregularities and sporadic violence. International observers have not declared the result to be free and fair.  We condemn all contraventions of international norms and join calls from international and local observers for a full investigation of all reports of election-related violations.”