Georgian parliamentary speaker Shalva Papuashvili announced on Thursday that he had signed into law a contentious “family values” bill that curbs LGBT rights, just weeks before the country’s pivotal parliamentary elections.
The legislation, approved by the ruling Georgian Dream party, bans gender transitions and could potentially outlaw pride marches and the display of the LGBT rainbow flag.
The ruling party, which asserts the law is necessary to protect Georgia’s Orthodox Christian values from foreign influence, overcame opposition from President Salome Zourabichvili, who refused to sign the bill. Georgian LGBT activists argue that the bill is a political maneuver by Georgian Dream to solidify its conservative voter base ahead of the October 26 election, where the party is seeking a historic fourth term.
The bill has drawn criticism from Western countries, who view it as a step towards authoritarianism and a shift in alignment with Russia. Georgia, a country that has largely leaned towards the West since its independence from the Soviet Union, has seen tensions with Moscow overshadow its politics, particularly due to Russia’s support for separatist regions and the 2008 war.
Georgian Dream, founded by the country’s wealthiest man, has also passed a law requiring foreign-funded groups to register as foreign agents, sparking further criticism. Despite these controversies, opinion polls show Georgian Dream remains the country’s most popular party, though it has lost support since winning a narrow majority in 2020.
