Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili has been placed in a position of significant weakness after the defeat of his party in this week's parliamentary elections. In times past, Saakashvili was seen as a noble reformer, being the first president elected through democratic process after Georgia's emergence from the former Soviet Union, and the changes brought about by the Rose Revolution of 2003.
For those new to Georgia, you must have several questions, and I'll try to steer you in the right direction.
What is the Rose Revolution?
The Rose Revolution was the popular movement in 2003, when Georgian's protested the government of Eduard Shevardnadze, eventually ousting him with a peaceful demonstration and bloodless takeover of parliament. See this BBC article for more details.
Why did Georgians protest Saakashvili this year?
The primary turning point in the election was September 18th, when TV stations began releasing leaked footage from a Georgian prison showing the torture and rape of prisoners. Time Magazine's Simon Shuster revealed the details of his visit to the prison years ago, and emphasized that the scandal seemed to be well hidden. Many of the prisoners affected may have been convicted members of Georgian mafias, many of them operating in Western Europe. This footage shocked Georgians, and caused Saakashvili's downfall.
Then who won the election?
Vestnik Kavkaza, a Georgian news site, features an article on the breakdown of what happened as far as the votes go. The Georgian Dream Coalition, led by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, will now be the dominant power in Georgian Parliament. Ivanishvili is an interesting character, and an old enemy of Saakashvili's--but also a man with questionable loyalties to Russia, a country not very popular with your average Georgian.
What is the platform of the Georgian Dream Coalition?
The Georgian Dream Policy Plans as listed on their website seem to offer a very moderate political platform by US standards, with perhaps a lean toward progressivism. The party seeks to attract investment to Georgia, boosting revenues and making a priority out of ending unemployment problems and providing health care for all. They also focus on expanding the accessibility of education, as well as reforming the way government deals with agriculture. The coalition, overall, has a plan to take care of everyone through government assistance and regulation.
And what was Sakaashvili's platform?
Saakashvili's party, the United National Movement, offers a very similar platform, although it is perhaps more conservative in what it promises and how far the government's reach is to be extended. In the economic sense, it's moderate with maybe a right lean, and not vastly different from the Georgian Drea Coalition at first glance. Reading into the politics more, one may find more fundamental differences for the average Georgian, however.
What does this mean in world politics?
First, let's think about what this means for Georgia. It is important to recognize that Sakaashvili, while defeated in a sense, has not lost the election for his own office--he will be a lame duck for the rest of his term with a Georgian Dream Coalition Parliament, similar to when President George W. Bush faced his final term with a Democratic Congress. The major change for Georgia right now is that what was a democratic system that was nonetheless dominated by a single party now has a second party competing--this means more democracy, and is a good thing.
However, Saakashvili's loss of influence means he will certainly be out of office permanently after his term expires. Saakashvili was a staunch American ally, and in turn was coldly opposed to the Russian Federation. According to some opinions, his defeat could lead to a weakening of American influence and what may either be called a recovery of Russo-Georgian relations or a revival of Russian dominance (which probably never really disappeared, in potential anyway). Russian influence would probably affect democracy in the Caucasus, I predict negatively, as well as affecting the energy sector--particularly plans to run pipelines through Georgia and compete with Russian energy supply to Western Europe and beyond.
What's with the tension between Georgia and Russia?
Georgia has a long history of tension with Russia. It was once under the rule and protection of the Russian crown, due to constant threat of invasion from the south, but when in declared independence after the Bolshevik Revolution, it was briefly a republic before being annexed into the Soviet Union. Although Josef Stalin was a native of Gori, Georgia, the Georgians identified very poorly with the Soviets and were persecuted for their resistance. Georgia finally regained independence after the fall of the Soviet Union.
In 2008, Russian launched a brief assault on Georgian territory over the dispute of several ethnic regions along the Russian border--Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The Russians claimed they were protected these lands from the Georgian government, and in the process penetrated deep into Georgia, destroying many villages, setting fires to the forest, and occupying key routes of supply and movement.
Michael Totten covered the friction there very well, as he recorded here.
And what's Georgia's connection the United States?
Besides the fact that President Bush may very well have negotiated the Russians away from a complete onslaught against the Georgians in 2008, the Georgians have often looked to Americans for political and philosophical inspiration. A museum in Tbilisi recounts the struggle for Georgian independence over the years, and shows a letter from the early 20th Century urging American intervention against the Bolshevik takeover, the Americans being the only hope for Georgian democracy. The constitution of modern Georgia is also based on the American constitution, as alleged in the same museum, I believe. Even if it isn't true, it surely demonstrates that Georgians do indeed have a great affinity for their American friends.
And what's with the suffix "-shvili" in all these Georgian names?!
Shvili is the equivalent of many common parts of names in other parts of the world, meaning "son of". The Arabs have ibn as in Ibn Ali, the Nords have sen as in Amundsen, and of course English speakers have son like Johnson.
Another common suffix of Georgian names is "dze" also meaning son. David Kakabadze, a famous and talented Georgian painter, has a name along these lines.
I hope all your questions have been answered, and if reading this has brought about many new ones, then I'm glad to have gotten you thinking. Check in for future posts on all things interesting and essential in the world.
For those new to Georgia, you must have several questions, and I'll try to steer you in the right direction.
 |
| "Welc0me to Georgia" - a folk map from my 2011 visit in Tbilisi |
What is the Rose Revolution?
The Rose Revolution was the popular movement in 2003, when Georgian's protested the government of Eduard Shevardnadze, eventually ousting him with a peaceful demonstration and bloodless takeover of parliament. See this BBC article for more details.
Why did Georgians protest Saakashvili this year?
The primary turning point in the election was September 18th, when TV stations began releasing leaked footage from a Georgian prison showing the torture and rape of prisoners. Time Magazine's Simon Shuster revealed the details of his visit to the prison years ago, and emphasized that the scandal seemed to be well hidden. Many of the prisoners affected may have been convicted members of Georgian mafias, many of them operating in Western Europe. This footage shocked Georgians, and caused Saakashvili's downfall.
Then who won the election?
Vestnik Kavkaza, a Georgian news site, features an article on the breakdown of what happened as far as the votes go. The Georgian Dream Coalition, led by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, will now be the dominant power in Georgian Parliament. Ivanishvili is an interesting character, and an old enemy of Saakashvili's--but also a man with questionable loyalties to Russia, a country not very popular with your average Georgian.
What is the platform of the Georgian Dream Coalition?
The Georgian Dream Policy Plans as listed on their website seem to offer a very moderate political platform by US standards, with perhaps a lean toward progressivism. The party seeks to attract investment to Georgia, boosting revenues and making a priority out of ending unemployment problems and providing health care for all. They also focus on expanding the accessibility of education, as well as reforming the way government deals with agriculture. The coalition, overall, has a plan to take care of everyone through government assistance and regulation.
And what was Sakaashvili's platform?
Saakashvili's party, the United National Movement, offers a very similar platform, although it is perhaps more conservative in what it promises and how far the government's reach is to be extended. In the economic sense, it's moderate with maybe a right lean, and not vastly different from the Georgian Drea Coalition at first glance. Reading into the politics more, one may find more fundamental differences for the average Georgian, however.
 |
| The United National Movement's agenda |
What does this mean in world politics?
First, let's think about what this means for Georgia. It is important to recognize that Sakaashvili, while defeated in a sense, has not lost the election for his own office--he will be a lame duck for the rest of his term with a Georgian Dream Coalition Parliament, similar to when President George W. Bush faced his final term with a Democratic Congress. The major change for Georgia right now is that what was a democratic system that was nonetheless dominated by a single party now has a second party competing--this means more democracy, and is a good thing.
However, Saakashvili's loss of influence means he will certainly be out of office permanently after his term expires. Saakashvili was a staunch American ally, and in turn was coldly opposed to the Russian Federation. According to some opinions, his defeat could lead to a weakening of American influence and what may either be called a recovery of Russo-Georgian relations or a revival of Russian dominance (which probably never really disappeared, in potential anyway). Russian influence would probably affect democracy in the Caucasus, I predict negatively, as well as affecting the energy sector--particularly plans to run pipelines through Georgia and compete with Russian energy supply to Western Europe and beyond.
What's with the tension between Georgia and Russia?
Georgia has a long history of tension with Russia. It was once under the rule and protection of the Russian crown, due to constant threat of invasion from the south, but when in declared independence after the Bolshevik Revolution, it was briefly a republic before being annexed into the Soviet Union. Although Josef Stalin was a native of Gori, Georgia, the Georgians identified very poorly with the Soviets and were persecuted for their resistance. Georgia finally regained independence after the fall of the Soviet Union.
In 2008, Russian launched a brief assault on Georgian territory over the dispute of several ethnic regions along the Russian border--Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The Russians claimed they were protected these lands from the Georgian government, and in the process penetrated deep into Georgia, destroying many villages, setting fires to the forest, and occupying key routes of supply and movement.
Michael Totten covered the friction there very well, as he recorded here.
 |
| Akhaltsikhe, Georgia - Far in the south of the country, Russian jets destroyed many homes and structures here in 2008, the damage of which I was still able to see extensively in my 2011 visit. |
Besides the fact that President Bush may very well have negotiated the Russians away from a complete onslaught against the Georgians in 2008, the Georgians have often looked to Americans for political and philosophical inspiration. A museum in Tbilisi recounts the struggle for Georgian independence over the years, and shows a letter from the early 20th Century urging American intervention against the Bolshevik takeover, the Americans being the only hope for Georgian democracy. The constitution of modern Georgia is also based on the American constitution, as alleged in the same museum, I believe. Even if it isn't true, it surely demonstrates that Georgians do indeed have a great affinity for their American friends.
And what's with the suffix "-shvili" in all these Georgian names?!
Shvili is the equivalent of many common parts of names in other parts of the world, meaning "son of". The Arabs have ibn as in Ibn Ali, the Nords have sen as in Amundsen, and of course English speakers have son like Johnson.
Another common suffix of Georgian names is "dze" also meaning son. David Kakabadze, a famous and talented Georgian painter, has a name along these lines.
I hope all your questions have been answered, and if reading this has brought about many new ones, then I'm glad to have gotten you thinking. Check in for future posts on all things interesting and essential in the world.
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