Georgia’s democratic reckoning As protests continue and the ruling party crushes dissent, could ex-president Salome Zourabichvili offer a political alternative?

Georgia’s democratic reckoning As protests continue and the ruling party crushes dissent, could ex-president Salome Zourabichvili offer a political alternative?

On May 26, Georgia celebrated its Independence Day — an occasion that coincided with the 180th consecutive day of anti-government demonstrations. The protests began last fall, after the ruling Georgian Dream party declared victory in a disputed parliamentary election and announced that it was halting E.U. accession talks until 2028. Georgians rallied in cities across the country, demanding European integration, a repeat vote, and the release of …