Georgia: From Democracy back to Autocracy

This thesis deals with the topic of democratic backsliding in Georgia during the rule of the Georgian Dream party, which came to power in 2012. The topic is examined through the lens of the theory of links and leverages, developed by political scientists Steven Levitsky and Lucan Way's. The aim of the thesis is to use this theory to analyze the causes of "dedemocratization" and to determine how Georgia's ties to the West and Russia changed during the Georgian Dream government and whether these changes are related to democratic backsliding. Based on preliminary data, the thesis assumes that ties with the Russian Federation have deepened since 2012, strengthening external authoritarian pressure and, conversely, the democratizing pressure of the West has weakened. The analysis focuses on links in the areas of economics, diplomacy, information, civil society, social movement, and personal ties. The contextual chapter then provides specific examples of de-democratization and a brief history of Georgian politics since 2003. Keywords Georgia, democratic backsliding, Georgian Dream, links and leverages, democratization Title Georgia: From Democracy back to Autocracy