
In January, several significant events marked Georgia's political landscape: journalist Mzia Amaghlobeli's arrest and subsequent hunger strike, an assault on Giorgi Gakharia, Donald Trump's inauguration, the European Union's suspension of visa-free travel for Georgian diplomatic passport holders, and Georgian Dream's withdrawal from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Political polarization remained at high levels, showing no improvement from previous years.

Following the announcement of suspending EU integration, the level of polarization escalated rapidly, reaching its highest point in recent periods, which was maintained at the beginning of December. Traditionally, the polarization index decreases toward the end of the year as political activity subsides with the approach of the New Year. However, despite a slight decline, the polarization level at the end of the current year remained significantly higher than in the same period of previous years.

Tamar Sulukhia, Director of ISET and ISET Policy Institute, participated in a high-level panel discussion at the SITE 2024 Development Day Conference in Stockholm, focusing on the European Union accession paths of Georgia, Ukraine, and Moldova. The conference, titled "Forging a Road to a Brighter Future: The Path of Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia to European Union Membership," was held in Stockholm on December 4, 2024.

Polarization reached its historical maximum on November 28, 2024, following Georgian Dream’s suspension of EU accession talks, which sparked widespread protests across Tbilisi and other cities, accompanied by government-led violence against protesters. This unprecedented peak in the division came after weeks of escalating tensions, including pre-election demonstrations and the controversial nomination of Mikheil Kavelashvili, a former footballer and co-founder of the Eurosceptic People's Power party, as Georgian Dream's presidential candidate.

On Tuesday, 26th November, ISET Policy Institute hosted an insightful seminar by Dr. Christophe Cordonnier, a distinguished international expert in Historical Economics. The event, organized in collaboration with the French Georgian University, took place at ISET in Tbilisi and brought together a diverse audience of academics, students, and professionals.