Georgia Local Democracy Jeopardized - Congress Report

Council of Europe News

Published April 1st, 2026

Detected April 2nd, 2026

Summary

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe issued a report finding local democracy in Georgia to be in jeopardy, citing rapid democratic backsliding, high polarisation, one-party rule over local authorities, and lack of follow-up on past recommendations. The Congress debated findings from a fact-finding visit conducted September 24-25, 2025, and deplored irregularities in the October 4, 2025 local elections including widespread boycotts, electoral law changes, and intimidation of opposition voices.

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What changed

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities adopted a resolution and recommendation on April 1, 2026, reporting that local democracy in Georgia is in jeopardy. The report documents democratic backsliding including the October 4, 2025 local elections affected by lack of political dialogue, widespread boycotts, frequent changes to electoral law, underrepresentation of women, and attempts to ban, intimidate and arrest opposition leaders. For the first time in decades, elections were held without credible international observation, and dissenting voices faced growing intimidation, arrests and criminal proceedings.

While the Congress recommendation is non-binding, it signals concerns about Georgia's adherence to the European Charter of Local Self-Government. The Georgian authorities failed to foster dialogue and build necessary trust, turning elections into one-party contests in half of municipalities. International stakeholders monitoring Georgia's European commitments should note the Congress findings regarding restrictions on fundamental freedoms and political pluralism.

What to do next

Monitor Congress recommendations and Georgian government response to democratic backsliding findings
Review European Charter of Local Self-Government compliance requirements for member states
Track developments regarding political pluralism and electoral integrity in Georgia

Source document (simplified)

Council of Europe Congress reports local democracy in Georgia in jeopardy

Rebuilding of genuine local democracy and reducing polarisation among priorities Congress of Local and Regional Authorities Strasbourg 1 April 2026
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Stewart Dickson, who is a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for East Antrim, presents the report on Georgia to the Congress

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe has expressed alarm at the state of local democracy in Georgia, a longstanding and important member of the Council of Europe. The Congress found local democracy to be in jeopardy, amid rapid democratic backsliding, high polarisation, one-party rule over local authorities, and lack of follow-up on past recommendations to restore democratic standards.

In a debate held on 1 April 2026 on a report of the Congress fact-finding visit to Georgia on 24-25 September 2025, presented by Stewart Dickson (United Kingdom, ILDG), the Congress deplored the fact that the local elections held on 4 October 2025 were affected by a lack of political dialogue and competitiveness, widespread boycotts, frequent and problematic changes to electoral law, underrepresentation of women, and attempts to ban, intimidate and arrest leaders and candidates of opposition parties.

It regretted that dissenting voices – notably the youth, civil society, and the media – faced growing intimidation, arrests and criminal proceedings, restricting fundamental freedoms, and that for the first time in decades, the 2025 local elections were held without credible international and domestic observation missions, including by the Congress, while the rights of observers were restricted.

Congress recommendation to Georgia

In its resolution and recommendation, the Congress stressed that the Georgian authorities had failed to foster dialogue and build the necessary trust in the 2025 electoral process, turning the elections into one-party contests in half of the municipalities with allegations of pressure of opposition candidates in the rest. At the same time, attempts to ban opposition parties, as well as arrests and criminal proceedings against opposition representatives further silenced political pluralism.

The Congress believes that the corrosive effect of all these issues did not provide the democratic conditions for inclusive, free and fair elections and further estranged Georgia from its European commitments, notably the European Charter of local self-government.

Congress members called on the Georgian authorities to urgently resume political dialogue at all levels of government, through an inclusive political process which engages all stakeholders, to reduce polarisation and restore the checks and balances essential in a pluralist democracy. The authorities were also urged, inter alia, to stop criminalising opposition voices and repeal the amendments facilitating the ban of opposition parties; implement outstanding Congress recommendations and Venice Commission opinions and rebuild genuine local democracy in line with the European Charter of local self-government; and repeal amendments to the Election Code that are in contradiction with European democratic standards and those restricting election observation, as well as all legislation in breach of human rights.

The Congress highlighted its commitment to continue political dialogue with the Georgian authorities, notably via the urgent organisation of a mission to monitor the application of the European Charter of local self-government in Georgia.

Georgia and the Council of Europe