Georgian Dream Seeks Ban on Three Largest Opposition Parties Amid Rising Political Tensions

Georgia's ruling Georgian Dream party has filed a constitutional complaint seeking to ban the three largest opposition parties—the Coalition for Change, United National Movement, and Strong Georgia-LELO—accusing them of continuously rejecting the legitimacy of the government and posing a threat to the constitutional order. This move represents a significant escalation toward authoritarian rule in the EU candidate nation, as it follows recent legislation simplifying the banning of political parties and increased arrests of antigovernment protesters. The targeted parties are strongly pro-Western, while the ruling party has adopted more Russia-friendly policies and suspended EU accession talks until 2028, deepening tensions with the European Union, which has suspended Georgia's integration process and not recognized recent parliamentary elections. Opposition figures have condemned the lawsuit as a blow to democracy and have vowed resistance, amid a backdrop of jailed opposition leaders and sustained antigovernment demonstrations. Georgia, once seen as a democratic example among post-Soviet states, has experienced a sharp political shift since the war in Ukraine, moving toward authoritarianism and closer ties with Russia. The ruling party states smaller allied groups are not currently targeted but could face scrutiny if they gain more influence.