Why Georgia’s local elections could trigger new instability in the country

On 2 October, citizens in the Republic of Georgia will elect local assemblies and mayors in all 64 of the country’s municipalities. The elections hold particular significance this year as the ruling party, Georgian Dream, previously agreed to hold early parliamentary elections if it fails to win at least 43 per cent of the vote. Sean Mueller writes that although the government later reneged on this EU-brokered deal, the local elections are still perceived by some as a plebiscite and could thus mark the beginning of yet another turbulent period in Georgian politics.