On October 26, 2024, Georgia held its first fully proportional parliamentary elections since gaining independence. Five out of the 18 participating parties surpassed the 5% threshold. The ruling party officially secured nearly 54% of the vote, translating to 89 out of 150 seats.

A large part of society believes that Georgian Dream’s election results were influenced by violations and manipulations both leading up to and on election day. In this article, we will try to review the methods and means the current government employed to secure its “victory”.

The Constitutional Court dismissed the claims filed by the President and MPs concerning the constitutionality of several provisions of the electoral legislation and the October 26 elections held pursuant to these provisions. The Constitutional Court failed to acknowledge its role and position in this dispute and consequently did not consider the claims admissible.

The state provides free comprehensive legal support to individuals who cannot navigate the lengthy, complex, and costly litigation process on their own. However, this service is not universally available, meaning not everyone can access it unconditionally, which poses a particular challenge for ethnic minorities.

The number of ethnic minorities attaining higher education remains low. Only 26% of the minorities achieve higher education, while the figure for the total population is 43%.

Representative democracy claims to operate for the people, exercising power under their authority and in their name. Originally conceived to rectify historical imbalances stemming from the societal dichotomy of “ruling” and “ruled” segments, this model entrusts power to an elected elite, chosen through the democratic process. The distinctive characteristic of the representative system lies in the fact that a singular element – the public interest – serves as the source of both its authority and legitimacy. The legitimacy of representative governance is established through the conscientious consideration of public interests, resulting in a freely made choice. Its legitimacy is upheld when it operates within these interests. However, contemporary scholarly literature frequently discusses the crisis within this model. This crisis, arising from multiple factors, is most distinctly manifested in two key areas – firstly, the crisis of voter representation (who is left outside the political processes and who is included within),  and secondly, the crisis of safeguarding the voter’s interests.

The crisis of representation is not only a problem of emerging states. However, it has different foundations and forms in fragile and stable democracies. We will examine this matter through the example of Georgia, concentrating specifically on safeguarding voters’ interests.

In a bipartite political landscape, emotional polarization stands out as the most effective mechanism of voter mobilization. In such an environment, political parties often tend to forego the development of comprehensive strategies to address societal issues. Instead, politics becomes overshadowed by propaganda, as parties seek support through meaningless attacks on their opponents.

The primary objective of social protection schemes is to empower vulnerable members of society, enable them to overcome poverty, and access decent employment in the labor market.

As of 2020, according to data from the International Labour Organization, 47% of the global population was covered by at least one social security benefit. A significant majority of these beneficiaries resided in the continents of America and Europe. This is not surprising, as history has shown that establishing robust national social security systems is a long-term process. Such comprehensive and sustainable development demands time and strategic, citizen-centered political steps.

The constitutionalization and safeguarding of social rights persist as a considerable challenge to this day. The international system of human rights, developed based on liberal ideology, has been structured around the belief that a market economy oriented towards free competition should have a substantial impact on social welfare. This approach saw a robust economy as a prerequisite for a decent quality of life, wherein the market, through the creation of sufficient employment opportunities and wealth, was perceived to “generate prosperity”. This approach shifted the responsibility for upholding social rights from the state to individuals and the private sector. The aforementioned seemingly outdated rhetoric remains deeply rooted in the core foundations of state social policies. This approach has impeded the acknowledgment of social rights and the establishment of a proper system of protection, rendering the issue of its enforcement through the courts moot. However, in the present day, the contemporary doctrine of human rights clearly opposes this standpoint. It assigns a pivotal role to the judiciary in terms of upholding social rights. 

Around us, many families lose their homes due to financial obligations. In response to difficult socio-economic conditions and pressing needs, individuals are compelled to seek financial assistance, often resorting to borrowing from usurers. However, many are unaware of the inherent dangers and difficulties characteristic of such loan relationships. The law doesn’t protect debtors from the deceptive and fraudulent schemes of usurers, and unfortunately, courts fail to safeguard their interests as well. In the following article, we will discuss what and how the judiciary should change when considering disputes related to housing.

In the era of rapid technological development, examples of atypical labor are increasing. It is crucial to critically consider the transformation of work and employment and the consequences that will affect various social processes over time.

The following article aims to delve into the multifaceted challenges posed by the gig economy and explore potential solutions to ensure the well-being and safety of workers.

Georgia has experienced economic growth in recent years (except 2020, due to the pandemic). However, this has an insignificant impact on the prosperity of most people. This article explains why economic growth doesn’t translate into an improvement in the standard of living of the population and what can be done to improve the current situation.

Democracy has never had the luxury of closing the door to those willing to participate in the governance of the state. Unfortunately, the political elite of Georgia has always acted to the contrary (with rare exceptions), when coming to a decision on this matter.