Georgia
Freedom at a Glance
Global Freedom
58 / 100
Partly Free
Internet Freedom
76 / 100
Free
Nations in Transit
34 / 100
Transitional or Hybrid Regime
Georgia holds regular competitive elections and hosts lively media and civil society sectors. However, oligarchic influence affects the country’s political affairs, and opposition figures have faced physical attacks. Corruption in government persists and media freedom is undermined by intimidation and pressure against journalists.
NOTE: The numerical scores and status listed above do not reflect conditions in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, which are examined in separate reports. Freedom in the World reports assess the level of political rights and civil liberties in a given geographical area, regardless of whether they are affected by the state, nonstate actors, or foreign powers. Disputed territories are sometimes assessed separately if they meet certain criteria, including boundaries that are sufficiently stable to allow year-on-year comparisons. For more information, see the report methodology and FAQ.
Research & Recommendations
Georgia
Partly Free
58
100
| PR Political Rights | 22 40 |
| CL Civil Liberties | 36 60 |
Last Year's Score & Status
58
100
Partly Free
Global freedom statuses are calculated on a weighted scale.
See the methodology.
Overview
Georgia holds regular competitive elections and hosts lively media and civil society sectors. However, oligarchic influence affects the country’s political affairs, and opposition figures have faced physical attacks. Corruption in government persists and media freedom is undermined by intimidation and pressure against journalists. Executive and legislative interference in the courts remains a substantial problem, as does a lack of transparency and professionalism surrounding judicial proceedings.
Freedom in the World 2024 Policy Recommendations
Provide steady support and flexible funding to those on the front lines of the struggle against tyranny.
Democratic governments and donors must increase and sustain support for those working to defend and promote fundamental freedoms around the world. Failure to do so emboldens autocrats and can result in the loss of hard-won progress.
Uphold the rights of people living in disputed territories.
The events of the past year in places such as Nagorno-Karabakh and the Gaza Strip provided stark evidence that populations without self-determination are at greater risk of extreme human rights abuses or atrocities.
Protect free and fair elections in 2024.
At least 40 countries are holding national-level elections in 2024, and many more will conduct other types of balloting. Free and fair elections are a cornerstone of any democracy, and independent and transparent electoral processes are necessary to foster genuine competition and public trust.
Georgia
Free
76
100
| A Obstacles to Access | 19 25 |
| B Limits on Content | 29 35 |
| C Violations of User Rights | 28 40 |
Last Year's Score & Status
78
100
Free
Scores are based on a scale of 0 (least free) to 100 (most free).
See the research methodology and report acknowledgements.
Overview
While the Georgian online environment remained free during the coverage period, a civil society report revealed that the country’s telecommunications regulator had instructed internet service providers (ISPs) to block hundreds of websites over several years. Additionally, a report from Meta linked a network of inauthentic accounts spreading progovernment narratives to a government agency. Popular pressure forced the Georgian Dream, the ruling party, to withdraw the “foreign agents” bills that would have required civil society organizations (CSOs), online media, and other platforms to register depending on the amount of foreign-sourced funding they receive. State institutions and media outlets did not face any reported major cyberattacks during the coverage period.
Freedom on the Net 2023 Policy Recommendations
Promote freedom of expression and access to information.
Freedom of expression online is increasingly under attack as governments continue to restrict connectivity and block social media platforms and websites that host political, social, and religious speech. Protecting freedom of expression will require strong legal and regulatory safeguards.
Defend information integrity in the age of AI.
Even before the new wave of generative artificial intelligence (AI) products, AI was a key factor in the crisis of information integrity, serving as an intensifier in environments that were already vulnerable to manipulation. However, advancements in generative AI will supercharge the creation and dissemination of false and misleading content.
Combat disproportionate government surveillance.
Governments worldwide have passed increasingly disproportionate surveillance laws, and can access a booming commercial market for surveillance tools, giving them the capacity to flout the rule of law and monitor the private communications of individuals inside and beyond their borders.
Georgia
Transitional or Hybrid Regime
34
100
| DEMOCRACY-PERCENTAGE Democracy Percentage | 33.93 100 |
| DEMOCRACY-SCORE Democracy Score | 3.04 7 |
Last Year's Democracy Percentage & Status
34
100
Transitional or Hybrid Regime
The ratings are based on a scale of 1 to 7, with 7 representing the highest level of democratic progress and 1 the lowest. The Democracy Score is an average of ratings for the categories tracked in a given year. The Democracy Percentage, introduced in 2020, is a translation of the Democracy Score to the 0-100 scale, where 0 equals least democratic and 100 equals most democratic.
See the methodology.
Overview
Political polarization and party-led radicalization continued to shape Georgian politics in 2023. The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party faced a choice between expanding its grip on power and advancing necessary reforms to achieve EU candidate status. Most opposition parties pushed their narrow political agendas and therefore failed to persuade the politically disenfranchised electorate to vote for them. Public opinion surveys showed that much of the electorate remained undecided on which party they would vote for, showcasing the failure of most political parties to attract new supporters. Polarization and partisanship has also pervaded the media landscape, including a number of key media outlets that have been accused of biased coverage. This divisiveness has also created a hostile environment for the media. Many journalists and media professionals have faced intimidation, violence, and harassment.
Nations in Transit 2024 Policy Recommendations
Ensure that Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine is soundly defeated.
The future of European democracy and security is now inextricably linked to the fate of Ukraine. European Union (EU) and NATO member states must not only invest far more—and more efficiently—in their collective defense, but also provide Ukraine with the assistance it needs to roll back Russian advances and build a durable democracy of its own.
Support democratic renewal and reform.
In addition to defending the international order from emboldened autocrats, democratic governments must attend to democratic renewal within Europe, particularly among nascent democracies.
Provide consistent messaging and support to Europe’s aspiring democracies.
Military aggression from autocracies in the region has underscored the dangers of exclusion from democracy-based organizations like the EU and NATO, galvanizing the political will of policymakers in aspiring member states and generating further public pressure to undertake long-sought democratic reforms.
Election Watch for the Digital Age equips technology companies, civil society organizations, and policymakers with a data-driven resource for evaluating the human rights impact of internet platforms on a country’s electoral process.
Our Election Vulnerability Index consists of key election-related indicators regarding a country’s political rights and internet freedom. Derived from our annual Freedom in the World and Freedom on the Net reports, the data and accompanying analysis allows users to identify specific areas of concern ahead of a country’s election, including online influence operations, internet shutdowns, or intercommunal tensions fanned by social media.
News and Updates
Featured
Freedom House Perspectives
News Releases & Media Coverage
Country Facts
Basic Facts
Global Freedom Score
58
/ 100
Partly Free
Internet Freedom Score
76
/ 100
Free
Nations in Transit Score
34
/ 100
Transitional or Hybrid Regime
Population: 3,713,000
Internet Facts
Status
Free
Networks Restricted
No
Social Media Blocked
No
Websites Blocked
No
Pro-government Commentators
Yes
Users Arrested
Yes
Election Facts
Status
Currently Tracking
Date of Election
October 2024
Type of Election
Parliamentary
Internet Penetration
78.70%
Election Year
2024
Vulnerability Index
0
/ 0
Transnational Repression
Status
Not Tracked