De-radicalization and Integration Legal & Policy Framework in Georgia

Shota Kakabadze and Bidzina Lebanidze Originally published by D.Rad The country report produced for the D.Rad, analyzes legal and policy frameworks for deradicalization and integration in Georgia. It unpacks the existing laws and policies, addresses radicalization issues, identifies major gaps and ...
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The post-Merkel Germany and the Eastern Partnership: 5 Take-aways from Germany’s parliamentary elections

Bidzina Lebanidze[1] On September 26, 2021, national elections took place in Germany. The election results were close, with the German Social Democrats (SPD) emerging with a slight lead (25.8%) over Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) (24.1%). The Greens (14.6%) finished in third plac...
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Op-ed: From poster child to problem child: Georgia’s democratic crisis threatens its European future

Kornely Kakachia & Bidzina Lebanidze The recent decision of the Georgian government to refuse the second tranche of the EU’s Macro-Financial Assistance (MFA) marks a new low in EU-Georgia relations amid Georgia’s declining democracy. It was preceded by another disappointing decision of the r...
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Spoiler or Ambivalent Partner: the GOC and the Fate of Georgia’s European Future

Bidzina Lebanidze[1] Shota Kakabadze[2] The Georgian Orthodox Church (GOC) has long served as both a social glue in Georgia and a significant marker of the contemporary Georgian national identity. However, over the last few years, the GOC has been drifting away from its historical position of moral ...
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The “German Question” that Baffles EU’s Neighbors: Can Berlin Become a New Center of Gravity for Associated Countries?

Bidzina Lebanidze Since at least the US ”pivot“ to Asia under the administration of Barack Obama the Associated countries in the Eastern Partnership (EaP)[1] initiative have found themselves stuck in a political and security limbo, defined by a resurgent Russia, the declining role of the US and ...
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Compendium of Policy Documents

Levan Kakhishvili, Salome Minesashvili, Bidzina Lebanidze, Shota Kakabadze The Georgian Institute of Politics is delighted to present Compendium 2021, the latest of our annual collection of policy documents dedicated to Georgia’s political processes, challenges, and prospects....
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Radicalization of Georgian Party Politics: in Search of Long-term Stability

Bidzina Lebanidze The recent post-election crisis highlighted the role of political radicalization as a major challenge for Georgia’s fragile democracy. Political radicalization in Georgia undermines the process of democratic consolidation and weakens state institutions in the country by contribut...
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Opinion: Georgia on EU’s mind? Brussels’ reinvention as crisis manager

By Kornely Kakachia and Bidzina Lebanidze Originally published by https://euobserver.com/ Over the last two years the EU has experienced series of setbacks in its eastern neighbourhood. It failed to negotiate a power transition arrangement in Belarus, as a result of Russia’s military buildup ...
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The First 100 Days of Georgian Dream Government: Reality and Challenges

Authors: Bidzina Lebanidze, Elguja Khokrishvili, Salome Kandelaki, Nino Samkharadze, Givi Silagadze Georgia’s parliamentary elections in 2020 resulted in a new political crisis, which further complicated the grave situation in the country resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic. In the context of the...
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