Between 2023 and 2025, Georgia experienced significant democratic regression and a sharp political realignment. The ruling Georgian Dream party consolidated power by passing the controversial “foreign agent” law, restricting media and civil society. The 2024 parliamentary elections, marred by fraud allegations, and the suspension of EU accession talks triggered mass protests and intensified repression of the opposition and civil society. Georgia is now categorized as an autocracy for the first time in the BTI.
Economic growth remained steady but increasingly dependent on Russia and China. Western investment declined amid political uncertainty, while opaque deals with Eastern partners raised concerns about long-term sustainability and governance. Corruption and judicial interference further weakened investor confidence.
Georgia’s foreign policy shifted away from its traditional pro-Western course toward closer cooperation with Russia and China. This reorientation, accompanied by nationalist rhetoric and withdrawal from European institutions, alienated Western allies and deepened domestic polarization.
