Between Brussels and Moscow: authoritarian learning as a tool of power consolidation in Georgia

Abstract

This thesis examines how authoritarian learning functioned as a tool of authoritarian consolidation in Georgia after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Georgian Dream maintained formal pro-European positions while adopting anti-Western, illiberal strategies increasingly similar to those used in Russia, Belarus, and Hungary. The central puzzle for this research is how authoritarian learning contributed to this process of consolidation. The study uses interpretivist qualitative research methods, combining discourse analysis of Georgian Dream’s elite, a secondary literature-based review of three reference states, and nine semi-structured interviews. The thesis finds that authoritarian learning played a crucial role in consolidating authoritarian rule. Firstly, Georgian Dream selectively adapted authoritarian logic to the domestic context. War, peace, and sovereignty narratives transformed public pro-European positions into skepticism, helping the Georgian Dream legitimize its authoritarian decisions. To achieve that, the strongest evidence of authoritarian learning, “Foreign Agents Legislation,” was used. This law institutionalized suspicion towards civil society, media, and opposition actors. The narratives mentioned express an authoritarian repertoire that helped Georgian Dream legitimize its language for regime survival. However, beyond language, authoritarian learning was important on a practical level, reducing the costs of experimentation associated with authoritarian decisions. Beyond domestic consolidation, authoritarian learning also affected global and regional politics. Georgian Dream’s survival sabotaged Georgia’s European path and increased Russia's influence in the region.