Post-election Street Standoffs in Georgia: Domestic Gameplay Amid Geopolitical Fissures

On the streets of Tbilisi, tear gas and water cannons formed a political spectrum: one end of the ruling party's landslide victory, the other end of the EU flag.

On October 4, 2025, voting closed for Georgia's local government elections. When the Central Election Commission announced a 40.93% turnout, the ruling Georgian Dream Party had secured over 70% of the vote in all municipalities nationwide.

Current Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze secured a third term with 71% of the vote.

As the election results became clear, tens of thousands of opposition supporters began to gather on the streets of central Tbilisi. They waved Georgian and EU flags and chanted "peaceful revolution." The protesters, starting at Tbilisi University, eventually broke through security cordons and stormed the grounds of the presidential residence.

Police used tear gas, water cannons, and pepper spray to disperse the crowd, while some protesters set fire to cafe tables and chairs and set up roadblocks. The clashes were temporarily resolved when police forced the protesters away from the presidential residence.

01 Election Results and Protests

Georgia's local elections use a combination of proportional representation and majority representation. Twelve political parties are participating in this election, and voters will cast their ballots for 64 city mayors and 2,058 city council members.

According to data released by the Georgian Central Election Commission, after all votes were counted in all constituencies, the ruling party received over 81% of the votes in the proportional representation election and also held a significant advantage in the majority representation election.

This result means that the Georgian Dream Party has secured a majority of seats in all 64 city councils and won all 64 mayoral elections.

Shortly after the election results were announced, large-scale protests broke out in the capital, Tbilisi. Protesters gathered in the city center, unfurling EU flags and chanting anti-government slogans.

The protests, which began as relatively peaceful gatherings, escalated into violent clashes, with some attempting to storm the presidential palace. Police used tear gas and water cannon to disperse the crowd.

On election night, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze issued a statement accusing the protests of being orchestrated by foreign intelligence agencies and warning participants that they would be punished.

02 Historical Context and Political Divides

Georgia's political divisions did not begin today. Since the 2003 "Rose Revolution," the country has been navigating a balance between pro-European and pro-Russian positions.

In 2012, the Georgian Dream Party defeated the United National Movement, led by former President Saakashvili, and came to power. At the time, the party's founder, Ivanishvili, stated the need to "be realistic about Georgia's possibilities" and to abandon a confrontational stance toward Russia while promoting Georgia's EU membership.

Georgia obtained EU candidate status in December 2023, but in July 2024, the EU suspended its accession process due to Georgia's adoption of the Foreign Influence Transparency Act.

The act requires media outlets and non-governmental organizations that receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad to disclose their funding sources and register as "foreign-influenced institutions," sparking strong criticism from both the EU and the opposition.

The rift between the ruling party and the opposition further intensified in 2024. At the time, Georgian President Zurabishvili (formerly the French ambassador to Georgia) refused to step down at the end of his term, triggering a constitutional crisis.

Zurabishvili proposed the "Georgian Charter" plan in an attempt to unite the opposition, but failed to reverse the ruling party's advantage.

03 International Reactions and Geopolitical Gaming

Georgia's political developments have rattled the nerves of major regional and even global powers. This small country in the South Caucasus enjoys a strategically important location, directly bordering Russia's North Caucasus region, including sensitive areas such as Chechnya and Dagestan.

The United States and the European Union have expressed concern about the post-election situation in Georgia. The US State Department accused the Georgian government of "excessive use of force" and suspended its strategic partnership with Georgia.

The European Union expressed "regret" over the political situation in Georgia and warned of possible sanctions.

Russia is closely monitoring developments. Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev warned on social media that "an attempted color revolution is taking place, and Georgia is rapidly heading towards a dark abyss, following Ukraine's path."

Analysts believe that if Georgian politics shifts toward a pro-Western stance, it will become a NATO bridgehead on Russia's southern flank, posing a significant threat to Russia's southern border.

Georgia has become a stage for geopolitical competition. The regional jockeying between the West and Russia has further complicated Georgian domestic politics. In response to Western criticism, Prime Minister Kobakhidze stated that Georgia will suspend EU accession negotiations until 2028.

04 Economic Background and People's Livelihood Realities

Georgia's economy is not prosperous, with a population of only 3.7 million. According to 2024 data, the country faces economic challenges and is highly dependent on foreign trade and foreign aid.

Georgia, located at the junction of Europe and Asia, is a key energy transport corridor. In recent years, the country has strived to develop its position as a regional logistics hub, but progress has been limited. Economic difficulties have exacerbated political divisions, especially high unemployment among young people.

Georgia has a large number of non-governmental organizations, numbering over 20,000. These organizations play a role in providing social services, but have also sparked debate about foreign influence.

The Foreign Influence Transparency Act, promoted by the ruling party, aims to require organizations that receive more than 20% of their funding from foreign sources to disclose the source of their funding. The government claims this is intended to enhance transparency.

Georgia's economic relationship with Russia is complex. Despite political tensions, it is difficult to completely sever economic ties between the two countries. Russia is a significant labor market and source of remittances for Georgian expatriate workers, which are crucial to the Georgian economy.

05 Political Landscape and Future Directions

Georgia has a parliamentary system of government. The presidency is largely symbolic, with real power held by the prime minister and the ruling party. This political structure complicates the current political crisis.

Georgia's political landscape is highly polarized. The ruling Georgian Dream party represents a centrist approach, attempting to maintain ties with the West while avoiding direct confrontation with Russia.

The opposition, comprised of a variety of parties, primarily the United National Movement, the Alliance for Change, and Strong Georgia, generally hold a pro-Western stance.

A 2024 poll showed a clear divide among Georgians on their foreign policy choices: approximately 43% of respondents favored a completely pro-Western stance, 9% favored a completely pro-Russian stance, and 38% favored a government policy that was both pro-Western and maintained good relations with Russia.

Georgian Prime Minister Kobakhidze stated that Georgia will prevent a recurrence of events similar to the 2014 Ukrainian coup. Meanwhile, the opposition continues to demand new elections and accelerate Georgia's EU accession process.

As the smoke clears from the streets of Tbilisi, the future of Georgian politics remains uncertain. Prime Minister Kobakhidze emphasized: "We will continue on the path toward the EU, but we will not allow anyone to blackmail or manipulate us."

Within the opposition, supporters of former President Saakashvili continue to call for a more radical pro-Western shift.

Georgia stands at a crossroads where East and West meet, and its domestic politics have long transcended simple political differences to become a microcosm of global geopolitical dynamics.