On attempts by the ruling party Georgian Dream to ban opposition parties in Georgia
B-10-2026-0459
on behalf of the ECR Group · Rapporteur: Adam Bielan, Arkadiusz Mularczyk, Małgorzata Gosiewska, Rihards Kols, Alexandr Vondra, Jadwiga Wiśniewska, Michał Dworczyk, Maciej Wąsik, Mariusz Kamiński, Tobiasz Bocheński, Bogdan Rzońca, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński, Marlena Maląg, Geadis Geadi, Veronika Vrecionová, Ondřej Krutílek, Nikola Bartůšek, Waldemar Buda, Ivaylo Valchev, Sebastian Tynkkynen
Written by a language model from the full text only; every figure comes from the text. The paragraph links open the paragraph a statement rests on — check the text itself before relying on it.
Parliament's resolution condemns Georgian Dream's attempts to ban the democratic opposition in Georgia, which it says would consolidate authoritarian one-party rule.¶ It calls on the Georgian authorities to withdraw the lawsuit and repeal the 2025 party-ban legislation, and urges the Constitutional Court to reject it.¶ It demands the release of all political prisoners and the dropping of politically motivated "sabotage" charges.¶ It asks the Council and member states to impose targeted sanctions on Bidzina Ivanishvili and those responsible for political persecution.¶ It asks the EU Delegation in Tbilisi to monitor the party-ban proceedings and political trials.¶
Key points
- Parliament strongly condemns Georgian Dream's attempts to ban the democratic opposition, saying this would consolidate authoritarian one-party rule and contradict Georgia's constitutional commitment to European and Euro-Atlantic integration.¶
- It reaffirms support for the Georgian people's European aspirations and says political pluralism and fundamental freedoms must be restored.¶
- It calls on the Georgian authorities to immediately withdraw the lawsuit and repeal the 2025 party-ban legislation, and urges the Constitutional Court to reject it.¶
- It considers the lawsuit a politically motivated attempt to eliminate all democratic alternatives to Georgian Dream, and says peaceful protest and contesting the 2024 elections are legitimate democratic activities, not grounds for prohibition.¶
- It calls for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners, including Mikheil Saakashvili, Giorgi Baramidze, Nika Melia, Elene Khoshtaria and Mzia Amaglobeli, and of all those detained for peaceful protest, and for dropping politically motivated "sabotage" charges.¶
- It calls on the Council and the member states to impose targeted sanctions, including asset freezes and travel bans, on Bidzina Ivanishvili and the officials, judges, prosecutors and financial enablers responsible for political persecution.¶
- It calls on the EU Delegation in Tbilisi to monitor the party-ban proceedings and political trials, and on the EU to respond firmly to smear campaigns targeting its Head of Delegation.¶
Who is affected
- The Georgian authorities, which are asked to withdraw the lawsuit and repeal the 2025 party-ban legislation.¶
- Georgia's Constitutional Court, which is urged to reject the lawsuit.
- Political prisoners and those detained for peaceful protest, who should be released and have charges dropped.¶
- Bidzina Ivanishvili and officials, judges, prosecutors and financial enablers, who face targeted sanctions.¶
- The EU Delegation in Tbilisi, which is asked to monitor proceedings and trials.¶
Figures and deadlines
- "up to 15 years' imprisonment" for "sabotage" and related charges faced by opposition leaders.¶
- "91 political prisoners in Georgia" identified by civil society.
- "20% of Georgia's territory" occupied by Russia.¶
- "October 2025" when Georgian Dream asked the constitutional court to outlaw opposition parties.¶
- "June 2026" when the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe warned about one-party dictatorship.¶