By Felix Light
TBILISI (Reuters) – The South Caucasus country of Georgia holds a parliamentary election on Saturday that pits a government seen as leaning increasingly towards Russia against an opposition that champions integration with the West.
Here’s what to look out for.
HIGH STAKES POLLS
* The ruling party, Georgian Dream, is seeking a fourth term in office.
* A mountainous country of around 3 million people between Russia and Turkey, Georgia gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 and has followed broadly pro-Western policies ever since.
* Many Georgians dislike Russia, which ruled the country for around 200 years and backs two rebel regions, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, that broke away from Tbilisi’s control in the 1990s. Russia defeated Georgia in a five-day war in 2008.
RUSSIA VS WEST
* Georgian Dream has in the last two years shifted towards pro-Russian rhetoric, accusing Western countries of seeking to drag Georgia into war with Russia. It has also deepened ties with China.
* The party is dominated by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a billionaire ex-prime minister who is Georgia’s richest man and is generally regarded as its most powerful person.
* Opinion polls show that Georgians are broadly supportive of joining the EU and NATO, but are also keen to avoid conflict with Russia, and deeply conservative on issues such as LGBT rights.
* Georgian Dream has campaigned on keeping Georgia out of the war in Ukraine.
* The election comes days after Moldovans narrowly approved EU accession, in a vote Moldovan authorities said was marred by Russia-backed meddling.
AUTHORITARIANISM AND PROTESTS
* Georgian Dream has passed a series of hotly contested bills, including a law requiring groups that receive funds from abroad to register as “foreign agents”.
* Opponents staged mass demonstrations, describing the legislation as authoritarian and inspired by similar laws used to curb dissent in Russia.
* The bill caused a crisis in relations with the West, with the U.S. sanctioning several Georgians for human rights abuses and threatening to end aid to Tbilisi.
* Other legislation has clamped down on gay rights. Opponents say this also borrows from repressive laws in Russia.
SOURING ON THE WEST
* The European Union, which gave Georgia membership candidate status last December, has said Tbilisi’s application is now frozen, and threatened to suspend visa-free travel for Georgians if this election is not free and fair.
* Georgian Dream’s Ivanishvili has made overtures to Moscow, including considering an apology for Georgia’s role in the brief 2008 war against Russia, even as his bloc says it still wants to join the EU and NATO.
* There is little reliable opinion polling. Surveys by pro-opposition media outlets show Georgian Dream losing its majority, while data from pro-government pollsters predicts the ruling bloc’s strongest ever performance.
* Georgia’s opposition parties are deeply divided, and have been unable to come to an agreement to contest the election together but hope to deprive Georgian Dream of a majority and form a coalition administration in its place.
(Reporting by Felix Light; Editing by Gareth Jones)
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