Georgia protests: What's driving the crisis?

For the past week, tens of thousands of Georgians have been protesting against the country’s newly elected Moscow-friendly government and there’s end in sight. DW takes a closer look at the situation.

Every evening since November 28, 2024, has seen massive protests in Georgia. Citizens are enraged by the new government’s plan to pause EU accession talks. It hasn’t always been peaceful: protesters have pelted police with objects and shot fireworks at them; the police, in turn, have used tear gas and water cannons against protesters.

While nationalist Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of ruling party Georgian Dream accuses the opposition of intentionally using violence during the protests and has threatened to punish political opponents, Georgia’s pro-European President Salome Zourabichvili has decried excessive police violence.

The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) concurs with Zourabichvili, speaking of the “excessive and arbitrary use of violence” by police, calling it a “serious violation of freedom of assembly.”

According to Georgia’s Interior Ministry, 300 people have been arrested in this latest wave of protests. More than 140, it said, have been injured.

Georgia protests: What’s driving the crisis?