Week 2: Politika! Politika! Politika!

In this week's special, I wanted to take a break from the craziness of the American political cycle and share the equal craziness of Georgia's political sphere! So buckle up buttercup, it's a trip!

Now, I won't claim to be an expert, but here are some basic facts (followed by the real juicy details).

• Georgia is a multi-party democracy based on a parliamentary system of party distribution; all the parties receive some sort of number (above)! My family worked with the '3' candidate.
• This year's election was held on Saturday, October 8th, 2016 with minimal violence (except there was a *drunken?* fight at a polling station in Zughdidi and everyone was underwhelmed)
• Current Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili's ruling 'Georgian Dream' party swept parliament by what looked like a healthy majority (I couldn't exactly read the TV, but the graphic of a mostly blue parliament looked convincing).
• Georgia is well-known for their bloodless Rose Revolution in 2003; the days before 2003 have been described to me as 'Dzalian tseudi' (Very bad).
• Pertinent issues: 'Reclaiming' Abkhazia and South Ossetia (separatist regions), Euro-American or Russian alliance, unemployment, infrastructure, educational reform, etc.

'Goergian Dream' poster (41) in Tbilisi metro

• Unlike the U.S. where yard signs are common, political posters on fences, walls, windows are EVERYWHERE AND EN MASSE! Several million trees have been use to wallpaper this entire country with politics (I wish I was kidding).
• With that in mind, you would think these posters would be ignored? On the contrary, political vandalism is common and, seemingly, encouraged. Days before the election, there would be a complete proxy war of campaign literature. One campaign would put up a million posters; the next day a million different posters would cover those same posters, OR the original posters would be torn down. This reoccurring cycle happened for days before the election.

Political vandalism

• On actual election day, people cast their ballot into a clear box and the votes are counted. However, the people overseeing the polling station wear green vests that mostly resemble a legion of dental hygienists more so than election officials....

I happened upon the 'Georgian Dream' election party while I was in Tbilisi election night

Well, I hope you enjoyed this short segment! Stay tuned for more fun to come!