"Georgian Dream" Applauds Trump

Opposition parties exit the parliament of the republic.

The political reality in Georgia is undergoing fundamental transformations. Many principles and approaches shaped by Western norms are now becoming obsolete. The situation is particularly challenging for the opposition forces and the so-called civil society, which had placed their bets on the mainstream political establishment and anticipated that newly elected President Donald Trump would continue the previous trajectory.

However, the hopes of the ruling "Georgian Dream" have at least partially materialized. Trump did not merely replace Joseph Biden in office; he also sought to deconstruct Biden’s legacy, including his international policies aimed at countering Moscow and exerting pressure on disfavored governments worldwide. As a result, the fervent desire of key Western actors to overthrow the Georgian regime has suddenly weakened. The U.S. Ambassador to Tbilisi, Robin Dunnigan, has disappeared from the political scene, likely awaiting specific directives from Washington, while American organizations such as USAID (banned in Russia) and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) have gone underground. Furthermore, all projects financed by these organizations have been shut down, effectively concluding the long-standing confrontation between the "Georgian Dream" government and civil society actors, whom the government accused of anti-state activities, including financing protests and riots. Without external financial and logistical support, civil society groups in Georgia found themselves unable to sustain their activities.

Paradoxically, this shift has also impacted the scale and quality of protests outside the Parliament building. What began as an energetic movement now struggles to gather a few hundred participants who symbolically block roads in the evening, take a few photos for social media, and disperse, only to repeat the ritual the next day. Although now largely meaningless, these demonstrations continue to serve as a propaganda tool for opponents of "Georgian Dream," who persist in their efforts to challenge the ruling party through rallies and pickets in the capital. However, without American political and financial backing, opposition forces face a multidimensional crisis. This is not only a financial dilemma—protests require funding—but also an ideological one. The opposition’s political vision was built upon the notion that Georgia and its society should "listen to" and "obey" Western directives, particularly those from Washington. Now, the very same Western actors who once championed these "correct" values have turned away, leaving both Europe and Georgia’s pro-Western elite without moral or strategic support. Adding insult to injury, opposition figures have been labeled as "leftist fanatics," casting doubt on their self-proclaimed role as representatives of the "right side of history."

Unsurprisingly, "Georgian Dream," which had initially placed its bets on Donald Trump and his vision for transforming America, is now applauding the Washington administration, recognizing that the primary resource stream for its opponents has been cut off. This has enabled the ruling elite to take a crucial step toward furthering Georgia’s sovereignty—both politically and mentally—by excluding opposition leaders elected in parliamentary elections from legislative processes. On February 5, lawmakers from the ruling party, "Georgian Dream," approved the resignations of 49 opposition deputies, thereby officially reducing the Parliament’s membership from 150 to 101. Consequently, attempts to replicate the 2020 political scenario have failed, and opposition parties such as "For Georgia," "Unity – National Movement," and "Coalition for Change" have not only lost their parliamentary seats and funding but, most importantly, their legal immunity, which they had frequently relied upon. Now, only one opposition party remains with a potential path forward: "For Georgia," led by former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, which has not yet formally distanced itself from the so-called "pro-Russian" Parliament, even though it does not recognize the election results.

It is evident that the party acknowledges the evolving geopolitical landscape and intends to use its parliamentary presence to engage in further political activity, potentially leveraging negotiations. Essentially, "Georgian Dream" has not only consolidated control over all aspects of political life but has also fulfilled a promise made in 2012—to punish and remove from political life the representatives of former President Mikheil Saakashvili’s administration. For a long time, the ruling party refrained from taking this step, avoiding unnecessary conflicts with Western partners who saw Saakashvili and his associates as a potential political asset. However, with Biden out of office and Brussels distancing itself from Tbilisi, the Georgian government now operates with fewer constraints, indifferent to European bureaucratic concerns.

As "Georgian Dream" applauds the Trump administration and aligns itself with its criticism of Europe, the ruling party continues to pass pro-government legislative amendments daily. Meanwhile, opposition representatives and their affiliated civil society groups are actively engaged in discussions, seeking an alternative sponsor to replace Washington—namely, Brussels—to sustain their protests and political performances in the capital. Many recognize the urgency of this endeavor, as discontinuing the ongoing demonstrations would render their revival nearly impossible, pushing opposition actors further to the margins of political and social life. Already, they find themselves deprived of financial support, ideological backing, and on the brink of losing their elite status. Should they fail to secure an alternative source of external support—such as Brussels—"Georgian Dream" may ultimately suppress, marginalize, and potentially even outlaw them, much like Trump did with USAID—with a single stroke of the pen.

For now, the political situation in Georgia remains largely unchanged: the government continues to govern, while the opposition lingers in an existential crisis, waiting for clarity on its future.

The article was initially published by Nezavisimaya Gazeta in Russian and is available here.