Tens of thousands of people gathered in the Georgian capital on the evening of October 20 for a pro-EU rally, less than a week before crucial parliamentary elections in the South Caucasus country.

The fervour in Tbilisi on Sunday night was a taste of what is to come next weekend. The country’s pro-Western opposition frame the vote as a referendum on Georgia’s future in the EU. Should Georgian Dream remain in power, they warn Georgia will be drawn deeper into a Russia-led geopolitical camp and away from Western alliances, which is many Georgians’ worst fear.

Citizens marched from five locations across Tbilisi in support of Georgia’s European integration on October 20, converging to hold a peaceful demonstration in Freedom Square, under the “Georgia Chooses EU” slogan. 

Demonstrators’ banners bore slogans like “Live in Free Georgia, or die” and “Saqartvelo [Georgia] chooses the European Union”, underscoring many Georgians’ intention to oust the increasingly authoritarian Georgian Dream party from power, and ensure their European future in doing so.

“This rally was necessary because we are gearing up for October 26 and it was good to demonstrate [citizens’] spirit, the positive attitude towards the elections and show unity,” said Ana Dolidze, leader of the For the People party, one of the four that comprise the Strong Georgia coalition. 

"We have been carrying this nation on our shoulders for decades, coming out when necessary. Why would we stop now?" said Nina, a 68-year-old protestor. 

Nina was one of many pensioners who came out in support of Georgia’s EU membership, marching side by side with Tbilisi’s youth, who have played such an integral role in drumming up political enthusiasm around the upcoming elections.

“The turnout was considered very good, it was packed,” Dolidze said.

On stage in Freedom Square, pro-Western Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili addressed the cheering crowd, which was a sea of Georgian and EU flags. 

“A free Georgia stands before me,” the president said, “there is nothing more valuable than freedom and peace. Here and now is the society that is moving peacefully and with dignity towards Europe.”  

The atmosphere in Freedom Square was one of solidarity and friendship. Demonstrators sang and danced in a ring to music from Georgian artists who performed on stage, including Paata Burchuladze, a world-class opera singer who led the crowd in a rendition of Georgia’s national anthem, which was followed by the European anthem, Ode to Joy.

“On stage were mostly neutral people,” said Dolidze, “but all with a strong political position on EU membership. The only political person that spoke was the president, because a decision was made to not have political parties on the stage, only in the crowd,” she continued.

Defending the future 

"Since the protests [against the foreign agent law] this spring, after facing police violence and retaining our strength through unity, we are now ready to show and defend our will in the elections. We will defend our voices and our future," said 26 year old Nika, who attended the rally. Polls have consistently shown that Georgians are heavily in favour of membership in both the EU and Nato.

The incumbent Georgian Dream party has taken increasingly illiberal steps this year to steer the nation away from Europe, whilst all the while claiming that EU membership for Georgia is their top priority. 

These moves have included a controversial “transparency of foreign influence” bill passed in May and an anti-LGBTQ legislative package in September. Both these laws echo similar legislation passed in Russia — the “foreign agent” law of 2012, and a bill banning LGBT propaganda in 2013. 

Democratic backsliding in Georgia has lately become an increasing concern for the European Parliament, after the South Caucasus country was granted EU candidate status in December 2023. Following a meeting last month, the parliament announced that the course of action taken by the Georgian government undermines European values and thereby “jeopardises Georgia’s European path and de facto halts the accession process”. 

Calm before the storm

Whilst the action on October 20 remained peaceful, there is concern that Georgia is experiencing the calm before the storm. The ruling party were accused by the opposition of rigging the 2020 elections and a similar scenario is expected this time, in which Georgian Dream declares victory and is then accused of vote manipulation. A contested result next week could very likely trigger action on the scale Tbilisi witnessed in spring of this year, when over 250,000 people came out on the streets to protest the foreign agent law.

Should they secure a majority, Georgian Dream has also vowed to ban the opposition parties that make up the four leading pro-western coalitions, which the ruling party call ‘the ‘collective National Movement’. A move like this, plus Georgian Dream’s current attempts to initiate the impeachment of President Zourabichvili, will no doubt add fuel to the fire with regards to potential civic action should Georgian Dream claim victory next Saturday, legitimately or not.

“If the ruling party stays, really bad things will happen, people will riot. People could start damaging government buildings and it would be a bloodbath,” warned 22-year-old Zuka, as he watched demonstrators bearing EU flags march past.