The Limits of Democracy Protection in Georgia

In 2024, democracy broke down in Georgia as it experienced ‘the largest one-year decline’ since its independence (Nord et al. 2025). As a result, Georgia joined the list of electoral autocracies in the world. Paradoxically, Georgia’s democratic breakdown happened during its first year as an official candidate country for membership in the European Union. With the enlargement’s recently regained momentum in the EU’s foreign policy agenda, Georgia’s case thus raises questions over the EU’s credibility in the region. Georgia also serves as an important case in point about the consequences of Europe’s inaction or doing too little to support those locally resisting autocratization.

Policy Memo #85 | April 2025

© Photo Photo: Nika Bubashvili