90% of Georgians support close ties with the EU - Edison Research survey

Georgians support close ties with the EU

According to an Edison Research opinion poll, 90% of citizens believe Georgia should forge close ties with the European Union. 56% feel the country is heading in the wrong direction. The survey reveals that 36% consider unemployment the most pressing issue, while an equal percentage cite poverty, and 34% express concern about rising prices.

The key findings of the Edison Research study are as follows:

When asked, “How closely should Georgia maintain relations with these countries or alliances listed below?” the responses were distributed as follows:

According to Edison Research, 56 percent of people believe the country is heading in the wrong direction, while 44 percent believe it is heading in the right direction.

In comparison, in November 2023, also according to Edison Research, 40 percent of the population stated that the country is moving in the right direction, and 60 percent expressed the belief that it is moving in the wrong direction.”

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In response to the question, ‘If elections were held today, which party would you vote for?’, the answers are as follows:

• Ruling party “Georgian Dream” – 36.6%;
• “National Movement” (created by ex-president Mikheil Saakashili)/ “Strategy Agmashenebeli” – 21.5%;
• “For Georgia” (created by ex-prime-minister Giorgi Gakharia) – 8.8%;
• “Lelo” – 6.7%;
• “Girchi”/”Droa” – 5%;
• Labor Party – 4.7%;
• “For People” – 3.7%;
• “Alt-info” – 3%;
• “Girchi” (Iago Khvichia) – 2.9%;
• “Power of the People” – 2.5%;
• “Citizens” – 1.7%;
• “Alliance of Patriots” – 1.7%;
• “European Georgia” – 0.7%;
• other – 0.5%.

70 percent of voters are confident in their political choice.

According to Edison Research, 50 percent of the public strongly agree that the 2024 election will be one of the most important elections Georgia has ever had, while 26 percent partially agree.

• Strongly agree – 50 percent;
• partially agree – 26%;
• still agree – 12%;
• partially disagree – 6%;
• completely disagree – 6%.

According to the survey, 65 percent of the population believes that other parties should be given a chance to come to power.

When asked, ‘Do you think that the Georgian Dream (the currently ruling party) is effective enough that it is worthy of a new re-election, or is it time to give other parties a chance?’, the answers were distributed as follows:

• worthy of re-election – 35%;
• it is time to give someone else a chance – 65%.

• Russia is the biggest threat for 77 percent of Georgian citizens. IRI survey
• Georgia’s main problems: unemployment, price growth, poverty. Edison Research

According to 56 percent of the respondents, the victory of opposition parties in the 2024 elections will be the best result for Georgia.

To the question, “What, in your opinion, should be the best result for Georgia?” the answers were distributed as follows:

• Victory of the Georgian Dream in the 2024 elections – 44%.
• Victory of opposition parties in the 2024 elections – 56%.

According to Edison Research, 36 percent of the population believes that the most important problem facing Georgia today is unemployment, 36 percent name poverty, and 34 percent name rising prices:

• unemployment, 36%;
• poverty – 36%;
• rising prices – 34%;
• occupied territories – 26%;
• emigration – 19%;
• education – 17%;
• pensions – 17%;
• illegal drug use/distribution – 17%;
• health care – 15%;
• migration of Russians to Georgia – 11%;
• crime – 9%;
• corruption – 8%;
• accession to the European Union – 8%;
• war in Ukraine – 7%;
• transportation in Tbilisi – 4%;
• free meals in schools – 4%
• political polarization – 4%;
• environmental protection problems – 3%;
• housing – 3%.

According to the survey, 71 percent of the population fully or partially agrees with the opinion that the government is to blame for the price increase:

• completely agree – 43%;
• partially agree – 28%;
• still agree – 9%;
• completely disagree – 12%;
• partially disagree – 8%.

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84 percent of the population supports the idea that debates between the Georgian Dream and opposition parties should be held live during the pre-election period.

According to an Edison Research opinion poll, 57 percent of the population believes that Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili should use her constitutional right and pardon Mikheil Saakashvili, while 43 percent are against it.

• 93% of supporters of the “National Movement”/”Agmashenebeli Strategy” parties;
• 58% of “For Georgia” supporters;
• 82% of “Lelo” supporters;
• 80% of supporters of “Girchi”/”Droa”.