Georgian Parliament Passes Law Restricting LGBT Rights

The Georgian parliament has approved a controversial law aimed at curbing LGBTQ rights. The legislation, which passed its third and final reading, is officially titled the "family values and the protection of minors" bill.

This new law imposes sweeping restrictions on the LGBTQ community, including bans on gender transition, adoption by gay and transgender individuals, and nullification of same-sex marriages performed abroad within Georgian territory.

The bill also provides a legal basis for authorities to outlaw Pride events and public displays of the LGBTQ rainbow flag, as well as to impose censorship on films and books that promote LGBTQ themes.

The ruling Georgian Dream party, which voted 84 to 0 in favor of the bill, argues that these measures are necessary to safeguard "traditional moral standards" in Georgia, a country where the deeply conservative Orthodox Church holds huge influence.

Tamara Jakeli, director of the campaign group Tbilisi Pride, expressed grave concerns about the impact of the new law on the LGBTQ community. "This law is the most terrible thing to happen to the LGBT community in Georgia," she told Reuters. "We will most likely have to shut down. There is no way for us to continue functioning."

Despite being denounced by President Salome Zourabichvili, rights groups, and the European Union, the bill was adopted. President Zourabichvili, whose powers are mostly ceremonial, has indicated that she will block the bill. However, Georgian Dream and its allies possess enough seats in parliament to override her veto.

The issue has gained prominence ahead of the upcoming October 26 election, with Georgian Dream campaigning heavily against LGBTQ rights. The party's top candidate, billionaire and former Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, has strengthened ties with Russia, further straining relations with Western countries.

Earlier this year, the party passed a "foreign agents" law criticized as authoritarian and Russian-inspired, sparking some of the largest protests in Georgia since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

The European Union has warned that the bill's adoption could have "important repercussions" on Georgia's European integration path, urging the authorities to recommit to the EU integration process. Opinion polls suggest that while Georgian Dream remains the most popular party, it has lost ground since 2020 when it won a narrow majority in parliament.