Georgia faces critical election test as West and Russia vie for influence in country's EU bid

Voters in Georgia are heading to the polls on October 26 to elect a new parliament, a vote that will have significant implications for the country's future and its potential path to European Union membership. The current government, led by Georgian Dream, is seeking to win a supermajority in parliament to implement a ban on the opposition party, which is pro-Western and supports EU membership. In contrast, the opposition parties are vying for a coalition government that could potentially revive Georgia's stalled bid to join the EU. Opinion polls indicate that the opposition has a strong chance of winning, which would be a significant blow to the current government's authoritarian leanings, which have shifted away from the West in recent years.