The thesis examines the problems of democratization in line with the political polarization in
Georgia. The thesis is concerned with a detailed analysis of political events from 1991 till
today, portraying the constitutional, legal, and political dimensions of state-building. The goal
of the thesis is to understand how much political polarization affects democratic
consolidation/transition in Georgia. The finding of the thesis is that polarization in Georgia
has always been part of politics. However, it took greater meaning since 2012. The
confrontation between the Georgian Dream party and the United National Movement
exceeded the politics into the "parliamentary blockages" and "street politics" The verbal and
physical violence against UNM party leaders and their supporters became frequent in the runup of elections. The hostile political environment strengthens the one-party rule and
clientelistic relations among party leaders and greater society. Politics does affect the business
and economic sectors that influence poverty and inequality. Simultaneously, polarization has
a spillover effect on media and social environments. The latest political developments in
Georgia indicate that Western Allies pressure can be the only force to decrease polarization
by adopting a new electoral system that can foster the development of functional democracy
in Georgia.
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