Politics in Georgia

Georgia, called Sakartvelo in Georgian, is a parliamentary republic. Its Constitution sets the main rules for state power, individual rights, elections, and public institutions. The Parliament of Georgia is the national law-making body. Members debate and pass laws, approve the state budget, oversee the government, and represent political positions through parties and parliamentary groups. The government directs national policy and public administration. The Prime Minister leads the government, while ministers manage fields such as finance, education, health, justice, and foreign affairs. The President is the head of state but does not run everyday government work. The office mainly represents the state and performs constitutional duties defined for a parliamentary system. Political parties organize candidates and competing plans for the country. Government parties try to carry out their program, while opposition parties question decisions, offer alternatives, and seek public support. Politics also happens below the national level. Municipal councils, known as sakrebulo, make local decisions, while mayors and municipal administrations manage local services and development. Courts are separate from the political branches and apply the law in individual cases. The Constitutional Court considers constitutional questions, while other courts handle civil, criminal, and administrative disputes. Citizens can influence politics through voting, petitions, peaceful assembly, public consultations, civil society groups, journalism, and direct contact with representatives. These channels can create opportunities for change, but polarization, unequal access, weak trust, and misleading information can limit useful participation.