The Voice of Young Georgian Voters in Politics: Expectations, Demands, and Political Responses

To increase political participation and confidence among Georgian youth, it is crucial for political parties to effectively communicate therewith, be sincere, and offer concrete action plans that address their needs, as borne out by interviews conducted with both young people and political parties. Prior to 2023, civic and political activity among young people was relatively low, but events of 2023 and 2024, particularly mass protests against the “Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence” (the so-called “Foreign Agents Law”), highlighted the growing importance of accountability with respect to young people.

This policy brief analyzes the challenges and expectations that young people have of political parties and political parties’ vision and strategy of attracting young voters and involving them in political life. The analysis is based on official documents, reports, statistics, public opinion polls, and data from nine interviews with political party leaders and focus groups with young people. The brief concludes with recommendations for Georgian political parties on how better to engage with and attract youth as a voting demographic, as well as suggestions for Georgian youth to enhance their political participation in democratic processes.

Keywords: Youth, demographic, political parties, elections, programs

Policy Brief #59 | June 2024

This publication has been produced with the generous support of the Embassy of Switzerland in Georgia. The opinions expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Georgian Institute of Politics and the Embassy of Switzerland in Georgia.

© Cover Photo: France 24