How Georgia has risen up against the ruling party and why the West faces a tough decision

Four days of mass protests have completely changed the situation in Georgia.

Just a week ago, it seemed the authorities had full control, but everything shifted on 28 November.

A statement by newly re-elected Georgian government head Irakli Kobakhidze to suspend EU accession talks at least until the end of 2028 gave the protests new momentum.

This statement was likely a tactical move by the ruling Georgian Dream party to pressure the West into making compromises. However, it turned out to be their biggest mistake in 12 years of power.

Read more about what direction the Georgian protests are taking and what could prompt the West to support them more actively in the article by Yurii Panchenko, a European Pravda editor – Tbilisi begins a revolution: what can secure the pro-Western protests' victory in Georgia.

Tens of thousands of Georgian citizens take to the streets daily. Protests are taking place not only in Tbilisi but also in Kutaisi, Batumi, Gori, Zugdidi, Rustavi, Telavi, Akhaltsikhe and all major cities.

In Tbilisi, the protest sites are expanding. Demonstrations are happening not just near government and parliamentary buildings but also outside the city court, where detained activists’ cases are being heard, and the state broadcaster’s office.

The first nights showed that police block attempts to set up tents and build barricades. However, this has made the protests more mobile. When police push demonstrators away from one government building using gas and water cannons, they regroup elsewhere.

The next day, they return to their original spots.

Despite all attempts at intimidation, the scale of the protests remains consistently high.

Most importantly, the courage of ordinary citizens exerts immense pressure both domestically and internationally.

This pressure has yielded unprecedented results for Georgia.

"Over the years, Georgian diplomacy has made every effort to integrate Georgia into European and Euro-Atlantic structures, which reflects the will and historical choice of the Georgian people... The statement on the removal of Georgia's EU accession negotiations from the agenda until 2028 does not align with the country's strategic interests," states a joint letter signed by over 200 employees of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Several ambassadors have already resigned.

And the dissent isn’t limited to the MFA. Similar statements condemning the government’s decision as unconstitutional have been issued by the Defence Ministry, Ministry of Education, the National Bank, Tbilisi City Hall and even private companies.

Such pressure is also affecting law enforcement. Protesters noted that on the night of 1 December, police acted more cautiously than before, possibly reflecting doubts about the government's ability to prevail and a reluctance to bear responsibility.

Still, the government shows no willingness to compromise. Moreover, statements by some ruling party members suggest the decision to break with the EU was deliberate.

Simultaneously, the authorities are pressuring officials who opposed the suspension of EU integration, a tactic they aren’t even trying to conceal.

Another strategy by Georgian Dream is to discredit the protests.

The current escalation in Georgia poses a difficult choice for the West.

In two weeks, without waiting for reports from international observers on the parliamentary elections, the West will need to make a tough decision: who they consider Georgia's legitimate authority and who they deem pretenders.

President Salome Zourabichvili has declared herself the sole legitimate representative of power in the country, as both the parliament following the recent elections and the government it appointed can no longer be regarded as legitimate.