Georgia’s political landscape was rocked over the weekend as tens of thousands of anti-government protesters flooded the streets of Tbilisi, waving both Georgian and European Union flags in a dramatic display of dissent. The demonstrations, which erupted on October 4, 2025, followed a contentious local election that saw the ruling Georgian Dream party claim victory in every municipality—a result hotly disputed by opposition forces and marred by allegations of a lack of independent oversight.
As the sun set over the Georgian capital, the situation escalated rapidly. Riot police, clad in full gear, deployed water cannons and pepper spray to disperse crowds attempting to breach the presidential palace. According to local media cited by The Guardian, the clashes in central Tbilisi left 21 members of the security forces and six demonstrators injured. The government’s response was swift and uncompromising: at least five demonstrators, including two members of the United National Movement—the country’s largest opposition party—and the world-renowned opera singer turned activist Paata Burchuladze, were detained.
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, appearing resolute in televised remarks on October 5, accused the opposition of orchestrating an attempt to overthrow the government. “No one will go unpunished… many more must expect sentences for the violence they carried out against the state and law enforcement,” he declared, as reported by Interpress and Deutsche Welle. Kobakhidze further announced a sweeping crackdown on dissent, vowing that “no one will escape responsibility. This includes political responsibility.”
The prime minister did not stop at domestic actors. He leveled pointed accusations at the European Union, alleging that the protests enjoyed support from abroad—specifically from Brussels. Kobakhidze singled out EU Ambassador Paweł Herczyński, claiming he had interfered in Georgian politics and demanding that Herczyński “should come out, distance himself and strictly condemn everything that is happening on the streets of Tbilisi.” He added, “You know that specific people from abroad have even expressed direct support for all this, for the announced attempt to overthrow the constitutional order.”
According to the government, the protest on October 4 drew up to 7,000 participants, a figure disputed by opposition sources but nonetheless significant for a country of 3.7 million. The ruling party characterized the opposition’s actions not as peaceful protest but as a coordinated effort to destabilize the constitutional order. In a dramatic twist, Georgia’s State Security Service announced on October 5 the discovery of a cache of firearms, ammunition, and explosives in a forest hideout near Tbilisi. Authorities claimed the items were intended for “subversive acts” on election day, in concert with what they described as organized street violence and an attempt to seize the presidential palace.
The government’s hardline stance comes amid a broader context of mounting political tension. The October 4 municipal elections were boycotted by the two main opposition blocs, who cited a lack of independent scrutiny and accused the ruling Georgian Dream party of authoritarianism and pro-Russian leanings—a charge the party denies. The opposition’s calls for a “peaceful revolution” have been growing louder since last year’s parliamentary elections, which they claim were stolen. The jailed reformist ex-president Mikheil Saakashvili, a prominent pro-EU figure, had urged supporters to take to the streets on election day, describing it as the “last chance” to save Georgian democracy.
International reaction was swift. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas issued a statement on October 5 firmly rejecting what she described as “disinformation and baseless accusations” regarding the EU’s role in Georgia. “The EU firmly rejects and condemns the disinformation regarding the EU’s role in Georgia and denounces the personal attacks against the ambassador of the European Union to Georgia,” Kallas said, as reported by Deutsche Welle. She also called for calm and restraint, urging Georgian authorities to respect citizens’ rights to freedom of assembly and expression. “We urge calm and restraint in the post-election period and call on the authorities to uphold citizens’ rights to freedom of assembly and expression,” her statement read.
The European Union’s relationship with Georgia is complex and fraught with recent setbacks. Georgia has written EU accession into its constitution and has long been considered one of the most pro-western states among the former Soviet republics. However, Tbilisi’s talks on joining the bloc have been frozen since the disputed parliamentary elections of 2024, and the country’s ties with the West have been strained further by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The ruling Georgian Dream party, controlled by its founder and former prime minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, insists it wants to pursue EU membership while maintaining peace with Russia. Yet, opposition figures and civil society groups accuse the party of adopting Kremlin-style tactics—pointing to recent raids on independent media, the passage of laws targeting civil society, and the jailing of opponents and activists.
Saturday’s events were not without precedent. The pro-western opposition has been staging protests since October 2024, when the Georgian Dream party claimed victory in parliamentary elections that critics say were marred by fraud. The government has consistently rejected accusations of vote-rigging and insists its electoral victories are legitimate. Nonetheless, the political climate has become increasingly polarized, with the ruling party tightening its grip on power and opposition voices warning of democratic backsliding.
The crackdown announced by Prime Minister Kobakhidze marks a significant escalation. Among those arrested was Paata Burchuladze, the celebrated opera singer who has become a symbol of the protest movement. At the rally, Burchuladze read out a declaration proclaiming, “power returns to the people,” and branded the government “illegitimate.” The authorities’ decision to detain high-profile figures like Burchuladze and two members of the United National Movement sent a clear signal that dissent would not be tolerated.
Meanwhile, the discovery of weapons and explosives near the capital has added another layer of tension to an already volatile situation. The State Security Service’s assertion that the cache was linked to planned subversive acts on election day has been seized upon by government supporters as evidence of a real threat to the state. Critics, however, question the timing and transparency of the announcement, suggesting it could be used to justify further crackdowns on the opposition.
As Georgia stands at a crossroads, the competing narratives offered by the government and the opposition show little sign of converging. The ruling party’s insistence on law and order, and its warnings of foreign interference, contrast sharply with the opposition’s calls for democracy and alignment with the West. The EU’s appeals for restraint and respect for civil liberties may fall on deaf ears as both sides dig in for what could be a protracted struggle over the country’s future direction.
For now, the only certainty is uncertainty. The events of this past weekend have laid bare the deep divisions in Georgian society and raised urgent questions about the future of democracy in the South Caucasus nation.
