Georgia’s parliament is set to elect the country’s next president on Saturday (14 December), a vote that could backfire for the ruling Dream Party as it has opted to back pro-Russian candidate Mikheil Kavelashvili. During its four terms in power, Georgian Dream has gradually worked towards eroding democratic institutions - a move that has alienated much of civil society, including top national banks and diplomats, many of whom have publicly distanced themselves from the government. 

In this episode, host Giada Santana speaks with Carnegie's Thomas De Waal about Georgia's apparent shift towards Russia and what the EU can do to respond.