საქართველო « SAK‛ART‛VELO »
— English: Georgia.
— Seat of government: თბილისი « T‛bilisi ».
— Status: Democratic.
— Structure: The parliament is elected through geographical constituencies and party-list proportional representation, and chooses the prime minister. The president is elected directly.
— Governing party: ქართული ოცნება « K‛art‛uli Oc‛neba ».
— Heads of government: გიორგი კვირიკაშვილი « Giorgi Kvirikašvili », ქ.ო. « K‛O », prime minister (since 2015); გიორგი მარგველაშვილი « Giorgi Margvelašvili », ქ.ო. « K‛O », president (since 2013).
— Parliamentary opposition party: ერთიანი ნაციონალური მოძრაობა « Ert‛iani Nac‛ionaluri Mozraoba ».
— Recent history: Has been politically unstable for its entire independence (1991). Three minority territories, Аҧсны « Ap‛sny », Хуссар Ирыстон « Xussar Iryston », and აჭარა « Ačara », effectively seceded after independence. When inaugural president ზვიად გამსახურდია « Zviad Gamsaxurdia » (1991-2) was forced out, ედუარდ შევარდნაძე « Eduard Ševardnaze » (1992-2003) was brought back from Москва « Moskva » to head the government. შევარდნაძე « Ševardnaze » was a noted liberal during his period as foreign minister of Россия « Rossija », but autocratic after returning to საქართველო « Sak‛art‛velo ». Parliamentary polls were held in 2003, with clear government attempts to distort the vote. The effect diminished the opposition’s combined majority, and gave the party of შევარდნაძე « Ševardnaze », საქართველოს მოქალაქეთა კავშირი « Sak‛art‛velos Mok‛alak‛et‛a Kavširi », an unearned plurality. This prompted the ვარდების რევოლუცია « Vardebis Revoluc‛ia »: massive street protests; a “people power” seizure of parliament and the president’s office, with parliamentary speaker ნინო ბურჯანაძე « Nino Buržanaze » declaring herself interim president; შევარდნაძე « Ševardnaze » declaring a state of emergency, which troops mostly failed to enforce; the resignation of ედუარდ შევარდნაძე « Eduard Ševardnaze » (replaced as interim president by ბურჯანაძე « Buržanaze »); and new elections in early 2004, in which მიხეილ სააკაშვილი « Mixeil Saakašvili », standing for most opposition parties, was elected and inaugurated as president. Later in 2004, აჭარა « Ačara » was reincorporated after the resignation under pressure of autocrat ასლან აბაშიძე « Aslan Abašize » (1991-2004). Prime ministers under სააკაშვილი « Saakašvili » included ზურაბ ჟვანია « Zurab Žvania » (2004-5), who died, apparently accidentally, while in office; ზურაბ ნოღაიდელი « Zurab Noğaideli » (2005-7), who was replaced following anti-government protests, a government crackdown, and the calling of a snap presidential election; ლადო გურგენიძე « Lado Gurgenize » (2007-8); გრიგოლ მგალობლიშვილი « Grigol Mgaloblišvili » (2008-9); and ნიკა გილაური « Nika Gilauri » (2009-12). სააკაშვილი « Saakašvili » resigned to campaign in the 2007 snap election; official results gave him a narrow win in the first round. In a subsequent parliamentary election, his ე.ნ.მ. « ENM » claimed four fifths of the seats. The opposition disputed both results. In 2008, military exchanges with Хуссар Ирыстон « Xussar Iryston » led to an attempt to reclaim the territory, which prompted an invasion by Россия « Rossija » and the likely permanent loss of Хуссар Ирыстон « Xussar Iryston » and Аҧсны « Ap‛sny ». In 2012, a parliamentary election led to a majority for the coalition ქართული ოცნება « K‛art‛uli Oc‛neba », led by wealthy businessman ბიძინა ივანიშვილი « Bizina Ivanišvili », who became prime minister (2012-3); he resigned after a constitutional change shifted power to parliament, succeeded by ირაკლი ღარიბაშვილი « Irakli Ğaribašvili » (2013-5).
— FH: 4-4, partly free (not democratic). Econ: 4.62 (104), hybrid.
— Updated: 2018 January 8.
O.T. FORD