The Franco-American politician and President of Georgia, Salomé Zourabichvili, positions herself against anti-LGBT+ laws. Her office has announced that she refuses to sign a law aimed at restricting the rights of LGBT+ individuals.
The Georgian President Breaks with the Government
The pro-European Franco-American president opposes the homophobic laws that Parliament is asking her to sign. Her spokesperson, Marika Botchoidze, stated that the Georgian president “refused to sign the law and sent it back to Parliament without vetoing it.” The president has declined to sign a bill that prohibits “the propaganda of homosexual relationships and incest” in educational institutions and television programs, and also restricts “gatherings and demonstrations.” According to her, this legislation is a restriction of freedoms. Salomé Zourabichvili aligns with the European Union, which deems this bill dangerous as “it undermines the fundamental rights of Georgians and risks reinforcing the stigma and discrimination against part of the population.”
Although the Georgian president is the first woman to hold office in this state, she has a clear political stance. Not affiliated with any political party, the Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party supported her candidacy in 2018. Notably, Salomé Zourabichvili is also the first Franco-American female president. It is likely this dual culture that makes Georgia’s integration into the EU and NATO her priority.
Beyond the anti-LGBT+ bill that the liberal president refuses to sign, relations between the head of state and her government are not in good shape. The Georgian Dream party holds the parliamentary majority in Georgia. In October 2023, the party accused the president of overstepping her powers concerning foreign policy and attempted to impeach her. It was in September that Georgian lawmakers adopted this bill on “family values” and against the “propaganda of homosexual relationships.”
Ambiguous Relations with Russia?
In Russia, legislation exists that represses “LGBT propaganda.” It was adopted about a decade ago and has since been significantly expanded. Moscow even claims that the “international LGBT movement” is now on its list of entities designated as “terrorist and extremist.” However, no organization bears that name in the country.
The legislation that supporters of the Georgian Dream want to implement is similar to what exists in Russia. It was approved in September by deputies of the ruling party, Georgian Dream. Although Salomé Zourabichvili is pro-European and the country aims to join NATO and the EU, critics of Georgian Dream accuse her of favoring Moscow. Others accuse this conservative and anti-Western party of jeopardizing Georgia’s rapprochement with the United States and Europe.
This is not the first time that Georgia has been shaken by disagreements over laws within the country. Last spring, the country witnessed massive protests against another law that targeted “foreign influence.” This law also draws inspiration from a repressive law applied in Russia.
Pressure Mounts for Georgia
Today, Georgians are quick to react. Human rights groups have formed and criticized the wording of the bill, particularly its alarming comparison of incest and homosexuality. Georgian citizens are called to the polls on October 26 for a major legislative election.
However, the law still has a strong chance of coming into effect, as the president of Parliament has the power to sign it if the presidency refuses.
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