U.S.-Georgia Forum: Policy Brief Nr. 2

Georgia successfully passed its democratic election test, as the parliamentary ballot on October 1, 2012 was declared competitive, credible, and peaceful by international monitors. The peaceful transfer of power between government and opposition was an unprecedented event in the post-Soviet world and could serve as a model for other aspiring or evolving democracies. Despite the smooth election outcome, Tbilisi confronts several important tests in preserving its political and social stability, upholding Georgia’s sovereignty, restoring the country’s territorial integrity, and progressing toward NATO membership and EU accession. One of the unknown factors is how Tbilisi’s relations with Moscow and the West will develop under the new government.