At the Crossroads of Consensus-Based Political Culture: Can Georgia Overcome the Polarization Trap?

Nino Samkharadze [1]   In Georgia’s endless political crisis polarization is cited most widely as the explanatory factor. The 2018 Presidential, 2020 Parliamentary, and 2021 Local elections were all characterized in international and local reports by aggressive rhetoric, verbal and physical ...
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Georgia’s 3+3 Dilemma: Regional Leadership or Falling into the Aggressor Neighbor’s Trap?

Nino Samkharadze [1] Since the 2020 Karabakh War, Turkey’s initiative to create the 3+3 regional cooperation platform has been viewed in a less positive light in Georgia because it involves Russia, alongside Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey and Iran. At the same time, almost after a year from the war, ...
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Biden’s Vision for Global Democracy After Afghanistan: What Does Georgia Need to Consider?

Nino Samkharadze Joe Biden’s vision for Global Democracy is so important in the US foreign policy strategy that it is even referred to as the “Biden Doctrine”(Brands 2021). However, even in the new administration’s first few days, many had already begun voicing their doubts (Adler and Werthe...
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What Threats Does the Rejection of the EU Financial Assistance Contain for Georgia?

Photo: European Union Nino Samkharadze[1] [This publication was produced with the financial support of the Open Society Georgia Foundation. The views, opinions and statements expressed by the authors and those providing comments are theirs only and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Foun...
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A Look Beyond the Red Lines in Georgian Politics: 5 Major Risks Following the Annulment of the April 19 Agreement

Nino Samkharadze[1] On July 28, the ruling Georgian Dream party withdrew from the April 19 Agreement, a deal which had been brokered through a long mediation process with the direct involvement of the President of the European Council, Charles Michel. The annulment of the agreement further destabili...
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Georgia After the Mission in Afghanistan: How to Reclaim Relevance in NATO’s Current Agenda

Nino Samkharadze The decision of the USA and NATO to end an almost 20 year-long mission in Afghanistan poses additional challenges to Georgia’s path of Euro-Atlantic integration. Ending the mission, and withdrawing US and NATO forces will reduce Tbilisi’s direct military engagement with NATO. At...
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Power of the Powerless? The Role of Small Parties in Georgian Politics

Nino Samkharadze[1] There is a prevalent view in Georgia that the two major parties – the Georgian Dream and the United National Movement – dictate the political forecast in the country. Regardless, the decision of the small parties to sign Michel’s document and enter parliament showed that du...
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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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Jean Monnet European Dialogue – Next Step towards Consensus-Oriented Politics

Nino Samkharadze[1] Although the first stage of the EU’s mediation during the ongoing Georgian political crisis initially failed, Georgian political parties continue to discuss the terms of the agreement within the EU’s mediation framework.[2] During different stages of the discussion pr...
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EU Mediation in Georgia’s Political Crisis: What did We (not) Understand?

Nino Samkharadze  [1] For five months, Georgia has faced a severe political crisis that has been worrying enough for its European partners to express unprecedented interest in the country’s ongoing political processes. Indeed, the EU has been actively involved  in attempting to solve the cri...
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