| Publication |
2012.
|
| Summary/Abstract |
Georgia is preparing itself for parliamentary elections in 2012 and a presidential contest in 2013. The country's Western allies see these elections as critical tests for Georgian democracy. This argument is comforting if for no other reason than its familiarity. But given the concentration of power in Georgian politics, and the limits on media, associational life and political activity in Georgia today, it is not likely that the next elections, without substantial changes to the political system, will move Georgian democracy forward. By looking at these elections entirely through the lens of democratic advance or retreat, the United States and Europe will be largely unprepared to see the other important impacts upon Georgian political development and the Georgian regime.
|