Georgia's 2012 Elections and Lessons for Democracy Promotion

The opposition Georgian Dream coalition's upset victory in Georgia's October 2012 parliamentary elections displaced the then-ruling United National Movement as well as the “competitive authoritarian” model it had instituted. While the future of Georgian democracy remains an open question, the elections may offer transferrable lessons for democracy promotion in other competitive authoritarian systems. In particular, Georgian Dream was able to successfully use leadership, messaging, and international engagement to pose the first meaningful challenge to the ruling party since the 2003 Rose Revolution. Georgia's recent experience also highlights the need for better-tailored policies to address the hybrid nature of the competitive authoritarian model.