The political situation in Georgia took a grave turn when the ruling Georgian Dream party initiated legal proceedings before the Constitutional Court to outlaw the country’s three largest opposition forces: the United National Movement, the Coalition for Change, and Strong Georgia – Lelo. The move, announced by Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, marks a decisive escalation in the government’s campaign to silence pro-Western voices and consolidate power.

All three targeted parties are known for their pro-European and pro-NATO orientation, advocating deeper integration with Western institutions and opposing Georgia’s growing alignment with Moscow. Citing their alleged “denial of the government’s legitimacy,” Papuashvili argued that the parties’ activities violate constitutional principles — a justification critics dismiss as a pretext for political repression.

The opposition, however, sees the lawsuit as part of a broader authoritarian drift. Irakli Kupradze, secretary-general of Strong Georgia – Lelo, condemned the move as “an act of political pressure” and accused the ruling party of acting under the influence of the Kremlin. “The Russian regime wants to destroy Georgia’s pro-Western voice,” Kupradze declared. “We will not back down — we’ll find a way to resist this.”

The attempt to dissolve opposition parties comes against a backdrop of persistent mass protests in Tbilisi, which have continued almost daily since the controversial 2024 elections. Demonstrators accuse Georgian Dream of systematically eroding democratic institutions, undermining the independence of the judiciary, and suppressing media freedom. International observers have expressed concern over the country’s rapid authoritarian turn, warning that such developments threaten Georgia’s long-standing aspirations toward EU and NATO membership.

If the Constitutional Court rules in favor of the government, the ban could effectively dismantle Georgia’s democratic pluralism, leaving the ruling party unchallenged ahead of the next electoral cycle. Analysts warn that such a decision would mark the end of Georgia’s post-Rose Revolution democratic experiment and further entrench its drift into Russia’s geopolitical orbit.

Once considered a regional beacon of democratic reform, Georgia now stands at a crossroads — between the promise of its pro-Western past and the specter of renewed authoritarianism.