International political struggle in Georgia: How domestic politics influence the pursuit of European Union membership

Georgia's relationship with the European Union (EU) has become a complex and contentious issue, as the country navigates the challenges of balancing EU criticism with the need to maintain support from its ruling party's base.

The ruling party, Georgian Dream, led by Bidzina Ivanishvili, has at times framed defending its position as resisting "outside interference." This stance has been particularly evident in the party's approach to EU integration, which it has suspended since taking office in 2012. This decision has caused tension with pro-Western figures like President Zourabichvili, who accuse the party of democratic backsliding and undermining Georgia's European aspirations amid current political conflicts.

For many Georgian citizens, however, Europe is not just a foreign policy choice but a vision of modernity, opportunity, and democratic standards. Nearly 80% of Georgians express a desire to join the EU, with the highest support coming from the under-35 generation. Younger Georgians and residents of Tbilisi, in particular, were especially likely to hold the government accountable for any suspension of visa-free travel, a privilege granted to Georgia by the EU in 2017.

The suspension of visa-free travel has provoked both defiance from government officials and unease among ordinary citizens. Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, for instance, has criticized EU officials, stating that "Brussels is not a court and cannot be a court." Papuashvili defends Georgia's justice system, arguing that it outperforms some EU members in international rankings on corruption and the rule of law.

However, a recent CRRC-Georgia survey found that if visa-free travel were suspended, a majority of citizens (51%) would blame Georgian Dream and its founder, Bidzina Ivanishvili, not the EU. This divergence between government officials and citizens highlights a widening gap in Georgia's political landscape.

The challenge for Brussels is to balance the need to sanction Georgia with the desire to maintain support from the pro-European public. The European future of Georgia may depend more on reconciling domestic divides than on Brussels' judgments. As long as foreign policy remains hostage to internal political struggles in Georgia, the road to Europe will remain a contested one.