Key elections in EU candidates Georgia and Moldova
Democracy and geopolitics at stake
- Moldova and Georgia face elections decisive for their democratic development and geopolitical orientation
- Moldova's government pursues a pro-Western course, but struggles with other promises and reforms
- The Georgian government, despite professing EU ambitions, appears to drift from the West, risking democratic backsliding
- The EU should devise clear strategies for dealing with the potential outcomes
Democracy and geopolitics at stake
In October two of the newest EU candidate countries, Moldova and Georgia, face elections set to be decisive not only for their internal political development on a declared path towards democracy, but for their geopolitical orientation as well. The election results will also be consequential for the future of the EU’s relations with these countries and have wider implications for the bloc’s geopolitical standoff with Russia.
This alert examines the issues at stake in both elections and argues that they are crucial not only for the countries’ future development course, but also for the EU’s geopolitical and democratic aspirations in Eastern Europe. The EU is advised not only to closely monitor these elections, but also to devise strategies for the potential outcomes.
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