Georgia's Parliament empowers Constitutional Court to liquidate parties echoing banned ideologies

The Georgian Parliament has passed a bill allowing the Constitutional Court to annul political associations whose ideology resembles that of banned parties.

“Amendments to the law ‘On Political Associations of Citizens’ were supported by 80 MPs, with no votes against,” the country’s Foreign Ministry said, Caliber.Az reports, citing Russian media.

Under the new law, the Constitutional Court must rule on the legality of a political party’s activity within 90 days. However, if the case arises during the pre-election period, the deadline is shortened to just 14 days—an acceleration that could significantly impact political dynamics ahead of upcoming elections.

The amendments come amid heightened political tensions in Georgia, where the ruling Georgian Dream party has faced domestic and international criticism over its democratic credentials. In recent years, the government has been accused of stifling dissent, weakening judicial independence, and adopting laws that critics say mirror Russian-style restrictions on political freedoms.

This latest legislation echoes previous efforts to curb political opposition and limit the influence of groups allegedly tied to foreign interests or extremist ideologies. In 2024, the Georgian Parliament passed the controversial "foreign agents" bill, widely condemned by Western partners as a threat to civil society and freedom of association. Though the bill was later withdrawn after mass protests, it signalled a growing trend toward tighter state control.

By Khagan Isayev