Government proposes legislative measures aimed at reinforcing bias against the LGBTQ community in Georgia
In a surprising move that appears to contrast its EU membership aspirations, the reigning Georgian Dream coalition in Tbilisi is putting forward proposed constitutional changes that would curtail LGBTQ rights, mirroring legislative practices in Russia.
On March 25, the Georgian Dream's parliamentary majority leader, Mamuka Mdinaradze, disclosed these draft amendments, asserting they aimed to safeguard "family values" and protect minors. The suggested changes, in their current form, would bar gatherings promoting same-sex relationships, prohibit sex changes, and prevent same-sex couples from adopting children, as reported by local media.
Critics swiftly denounced the proposals as incongruent with EU values, alleging they were intended to gather support from Georgian Dream's conservative support base ahead of the fall parliamentary elections. Political analyst Paata Zakareishvili, who previously served as minister of reintegration in a Georgian Dream government, has criticized the coalition for its embrace of Russian-style illiberalism, which he believes jeopardizes the country's EU accession prospects.
"It's a mere election ploy," Zakareishvili stated. "It's merely another Russian law."
Russia notably expanded anti-LGBTQ legislation in 2022 following the unprovoked Russian military invasion of Ukraine. As early as March this year, the vaguely defined international LGBTQ movement was declared extremist by a Russian regulatory body. Simultaneously, a Russian court announced the detention of employees from a gay club, who now face the possibility of a decade in prison.
Public support for EU membership in Georgia is high, and the country rejoiced following a late 2023 provisional green light to advance with its EU membership bid. However, Brussels delivered conditions at the time, including a requirement to implement laws protecting individual rights in accordance with EU standards. The proposed constitutional changes would act against this effort, conferring a second-class status on LGBTQ community members.
Georgian Dream asserts broad backing for its proposed changes. Homophobia is indeed prevalent in predominantly Orthodox Christian Georgia, but this viewpoint appears to overlook survey data indicating that tolerant sentiments might be on the rise. "Georgian society has always been tolerant," local media quoted Mdinaradze as saying in early March. "However, Georgian society cannot and should not tolerate this pseudo-liberal propaganda, which aims to promote a non-traditional lifestyle."
In a statement to Eurasianet, Alexandre Crevaux-Asatiani, deputy director for foreign affairs of the opposition United National Movement party, deemed the proposed changes "laughable." He added that the changes would face challenges in securing legislative approval, despite the Georgian Dream's parliamentary majority.
"If you genuinely aim to uphold 'family values,' then focus on what truly matters to families – curb inflation, create higher-paying jobs, prevent further family separations due to widespread emigration," he explained.
In Hungary, another nation that has adopted Russia-like illiberal policies, efforts to maintain traditional values through legislation have not consistently yielded their desired results. Hungary enacted laws banning LGBTQ "propaganda" in 2021, but according to a RFERL report, support for same-sex marriages actually increased during the time span both before and following the passage of these laws.
- The Georgian Dream coalition's proposed constitutional changes, revealed on March 25, are causing controversies, as they aim to limit LGBTQ rights and mirror Russia's legislative practices, contradicting EU values.
- Political analyst Paata Zakareishvili, a former minister of reintegration in a Georgian Dream government, has criticized the coalition for its embrace of Russian-style illiberalism, claiming it jeopardizes the country's EU accession prospects.
- In a statement, Alexandre Crevaux-Asatiani, deputy director for foreign affairs of the opposition United National Movement party, deemed the proposed constitutional changes in Georgia "laughable," suggesting that focusing on economic issues like inflation and job creation would be more effective in upholding 'family values'.
