The European Parliament is preparing a new political response to the actions of Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream party. On October 7, MEPs will hold a debate on the authorities’ attempts to ban major opposition parties, while a vote on the relevant resolution is expected on October 8. The procedure is registered in the European Parliament under reference 2026/2913(RSP) and is specifically focused on the “attempts by the ruling party Georgian Dream to ban opposition parties in Georgia”.

 

The debate will take place against the backdrop of further deterioration in relations between Tbilisi and European institutions. European lawmakers are expected to assess the Georgian authorities’ actions toward the political opposition and their potential consequences for the country’s democratic process and European perspective.

Particular attention is focused on the Georgian authorities’ initiative to restrict the activities of opposition political forces. This includes a constitutional lawsuit seeking to declare the activities of three major opposition groups unconstitutional — the United National Movement, the Coalition for Change, and the Strong Georgia – Lelo coalition. European Parliament materials express concern that the authorities are seeking not only to restrict the opposition’s activities but also to revoke the registration of political parties.

The European Parliament has consistently linked political pluralism, judicial independence and respect for fundamental freedoms to Georgia’s European perspective. In previous resolutions, MEPs have already expressed concern over democratic backsliding in the country and called on the Georgian authorities to end pressure on opposition politicians, journalists and civil society representatives.

The new resolution could represent a continuation of this approach. The European Parliament has previously called on the European Union to consider targeted measures against Georgian officials responsible for political persecution, violence against protesters and human rights violations. One of the draft documents prepared in 2026 also calls for the persecution of the political opposition and civil society to be treated as a separate criterion in EU relations with Georgia.

At the same time, Georgia’s domestic political landscape is developing amid the strengthening position of Georgian Dream. In the municipal by-elections held on October 3, candidates from the ruling party won all four majoritarian constituencies, according to preliminary data from the Central Election Commission. For Tbilisi, this result provides an additional argument in support of its claim that the government continues to enjoy public backing.

It should also be noted that Georgia was granted EU candidate status in December 2023. However, the subsequent deterioration of the democratic environment and the policies pursued by Georgian Dream have led to a serious cooling of relations with Brussels. The European Parliament has previously stated that further progress on the European path requires the restoration of democratic standards, political pluralism and fundamental freedoms.

 

Thus, an increasingly visible contradiction is emerging between Tbilisi and Brussels: the Georgian authorities are demonstrating their readiness to continue pursuing their own political course, while the European Parliament is intensifying its criticism and treating restrictions on political pluralism as a factor directly affecting Georgia’s relations with the European Union.

Against this backdrop, the October 7 debate and October 8 vote are significant not merely as another critical European Parliament resolution. They could serve as an indicator of whether the EU is prepared to move beyond political criticism toward more concrete measures against representatives of the Georgian authorities.

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06.10.2026 08:52