Georgian Dream
Georgian Dream – Democratic Georgia (Georgian: ქართული ოცნება – დემოკრატიული საქართველო, romanized: kartuli otsneba – demok'rat'iuli sakartvelo) is a political party in Georgia. The party was established on 19 April 2012 by billionaire businessman and oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili.[11] It has been the ruling party in Georgia since 2012, when it won the general election, leading a coalition of six parties.
Georgian Dream –
Democratic Georgia ქართული ოცნება –
დემოკრატიული საქართველო
Democratic Georgia
დემოკრატიული საქართველო
21 April 2012
Party of European Socialists (observer)
(2015–2023)[9][10]
Progressive Alliance
(until 2023)
თავისუფლება, სწრაფი განვითარება, კეთილდღეობა ("Freedom, Rapid Development, Welfare")
Subsequently, Georgian Dream also won the general elections of 2016 and 2020. The party has been chaired by Irakli Garibashvili since 2024, while founder Bidzina Ivanishvili is the Honorary Chairman. Former party chair Irakli Kobakhidze has been Prime Minister since February 2024.
From the onset, Georgian Dream declared itself a centre-left oriented pro-European party, pursuing Euro-Atlantic integration and carrying a mix of centre-left and centre-right economic policies. Over time the party transformed into an explicitly culturally conservative, right-wing soft Eurosceptic party. The main criticism labeled against Georgian Dream has always been its alleged pro-Russia policy, a characterization that the party fiercely denies.[b]
Recently, the party passed legislation considered by the United States and European Union to be contradictory to the country's EU and NATO membership bids. In June 2024 United States sanctioned Georgian Dream officials for "undermining democracy".[12] According to the party itself, it plans to make Georgia part of the EU whilst "playing by Georgian rules".[c]
History[edit]
Political Context[edit]
By 2011, the United National Movement government led by the President Mikheil Saakashvili, had become increasingly unpopular during its rule since 2004 for its neoliberal economic policy, extremely punitive criminal justice system and confrontational approach to Russia. A range of other infringements on privacy and legal rights in combination with intimidation and coercion of the business sector added to the grievances.[13]
The violent dispersal of 2007 and 2011 demonstrations, scandals such as the 2006 Sandro Girgvliani murder case and the loss of territories through the 2008 Russo-Georgian War contributed to the party's increasing loss of support among the general populace. Given this context, Bidzina Ivanishvili, an oligarch primarily known for charity and contributions to public projects, decided to step out of the shadow and lead the political opposition against Saakashvili by uniting the opposition, mobilizing popular support and subsequently capitalizing on the public discontent.