Democratization’s Vicious Circle or How Georgia Failed to Change

Abstract:

Georgia’s first peaceful transition of power, through the parliamentary elections in 2012, has been celebrated as an important achievement in the democratization of the country. At the same time, the new government has initiated several high-profile criminal cases against representatives of the former government, including the president and the prime minister, creating solid bases for critical assessment of further prospects for the democratic consolidation of Georgia. The new government has signed an Association Agreement with the EU – an important test to prove Georgia’s pro-Western orientation and dismantle speculations about pro-Russian sentiments of the new ruling elite. Nevertheless, how the political change in leadership might impact the external relations of Georgia remains to be seen.