JAMnews. In Georgia, where political polarisation is reaching a peak, contact between the government and the opposition — broken for years — is suddenly being restored in the form of debates.
The ruling Georgian Dream party, which for years boycotted media outlets critical of the authorities and avoided direct confrontation with its opponents, is now itself initiating public discussions.
The process is particularly notable against the backdrop of a deep legitimacy crisis for Georgian Dream, both domestically — amid protests over alleged election fraud — and internationally. A striking example was US Vice-President JD Vance’s recent visit to the South Caucasus, which did not include a stop in Georgia.
The question of debates has sparked intense discussion both in society and political circles. Opinions are divided over whether the opposition should take part in debates initiated by the government. Both supporters and opponents of the idea have put forward their arguments.
Read also
Return to debates
On 22 January 2026, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze publicly declared his readiness to debate his opponents and launched an initiative to revive “public discussion”.
Before this initiative, dialogue between the government and the opposition in Georgia had effectively been suspended for years. During Georgian Dream’s first term in power, ministers and MPs regularly appeared on opposition television channels. But this practice ended completely several years ago, as the government moved to boycott critical media. The situation changed, particularly after the authorities took control of Rustavi 2, the most popular opposition channel.
In response to Irakli Kobakhidze’s initiative, opposition television channels offered the government airtime on their own platforms. However, the ruling party chose pro-government channels Rustavi 2 and Imedi as venues for the debates — both of which the opposition and some civil society groups consider to be propaganda outlets.
Rustavi 2 even set up a special debate studio, with a large red table at the centre.
The “debates” are hosted by television presenter Rezi Chichinadze. The programme’s description says it is a “public dialogue” returning to the air as a necessary tool for audiences to hear different viewpoints in one space. The format is intended to “put an end to polarisation”.
One of the first topics in the new format was rising prices in Georgia. Prime Minister Kobakhidze himself took part in the discussion.
Kobakhidze also appeared in a debate on the Imedi television channel on 14 February, посвящённых education reform.
Full text of the material on the original website.
