Georgia: empowering youth to be active citizens
Youth leader Giga Phartenadze is working to engage young people in politics in Georgia and help them understand their rights against a backdrop of increasing state-led repression.
Thousands of people in Georgia continue to protest violations of the electoral process during the October 2024 election and the government’s suspension of the EU accession process. The election saw the Georgian Dream party stay in power as observers documented the flagrant violation of voter secrecy. In response to the protests, Georgia’s parliament has passed laws that criminalise peaceful dissent and restrict the work of journalists and civil society organisations.
Giga Phartenadze, who is participating in our 2024/25 Wider Europe and Central Asia fellowship programme, comes from Batumi, Georgia’s second-largest city and the main city in the Autonomous Republic of Ajara. In 2014 he founded the Youth Supreme Council, a civil society youth organisation, and is an assistant professor at Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University.
“What is happening in Batumi is a mirror of what is happening in Tbilisi,” says Giga, who was also a trainee in the European Parliament in 2023/2024, advocating for Georgia’s EU accession. “I have meetings almost every day with students who are going to protests in the streets in the evening. The atmosphere in the region is really heavy.”
Speaking out
As the post-election protest continued into 2025, the government stepped up the crackdown, arresting prominent activists. Giga says: “There are people in prison from Batumi who have been on hunger strike. Among them is Mzia Amaghlobeli, a media manager and founder of an independent media organisation called Batumelebi/Netgazeti. After being detained she went on hunger strike, along with other protestors, for almost 40 days.”
So how can civil society leaders respond in such a tense and increasingly repressive environment? “From a personal point of view, I’m always speaking out,” says Giga. “As an employee of a state university, you are watched to see what kind of statements you are making. Maybe I’m putting my career on the line. But I have to do it because I believe in Georgia’s European future and the values I’m protecting.”
Youth representation
Giga’s interest in politics began at a young age. “I always wanted to be an active citizen, ever since I was a child,” he says. “I was on my school’s student council because I wanted to make an impact. Then when I started my bachelor’s degree, I was elected as a member of the European Youth Parliament and the Georgian Youth Parliament.”
Ajara, an autonomous republic, has a devolved government that operates under a regional governance structure while remaining part of the Georgian state. The region is governed by the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Ajara, which is elected by the local population.
Inspired by his experience in the Youth Georgian Parliament, Giga set up the Ajara Youth Supreme Council in 2014. He says: “What we are doing is empowering our youth generation in the region to get involved in politics so they can influence Georgia’s future and start protecting our democratic values.”
Foreign agent law
In May 2024, the government pushed through the Transparency of Foreign Influence Law, also known as the “foreign agent law”. This compels non-governmental and civil society organisations receiving foreign funding to register as “carrying out the interests of a foreign power.”
John Smith Fellows in Georgia have spoken out against this law, which ignited the protests last year. “We call it the ‘Russian-style law,'” says Giga. “The intent behind this law is identical to one adopted in Russia in 2012 and its objectives are becoming painfully clear. It is designed to systematically weaken and eventually dismantle organisations like ours, especially in the regions.
“The law forces us to make an impossible choice: either register ourselves as ‘agents’ and continue working under a label that undermines our credibility, or refuse to register and face massive fines. Both options amount to the same thing—suicide for our organisation, given our financial constraints.”
Get out and vote
Despite this setback, Giga continues working to inspire young people to be active citizens. His action plan during his John Smith Trust fellowship focuses on engaging Ajara’s youth in politics and public administration. With local elections on the horizon in October 2025, he wants to galvanise young people to participate through an initiative called Get Out and Vote.
“Young people have to understand their rights and know why they should vote in the local elections,” says Giga. “During my fellowship, I wanted to learn about communications and advocacy strategies to encourage voter participation in the UK, with a particular focus on young people. My objective is to implement these strategies through the Get Out and Vote initiative, fostering a culture of active participation among the youth in my community.
During the residential part of his fellowship, Giga met with organisations including the Scottish Youth Parliament, the National Youth Agency, the National Association of Local Councils and My Life My Say.
Fellowship experience
Giga says: “I have gained valuable insights into effective leadership practices and the importance of advocacy in engaging young voters. Additionally, I was fortunate to meet with key figures in the Scottish Parliament, St Andrews and Edinburgh universities, members of the House of Commons and House of Lords and leaders from the non-profit sector. These meetings have deepened my understanding of the political landscape and the mechanisms to encourage youth participation.
“I also had the opportunity to connect with people who advocate for youth involvement in politics and voting. These discussions emphasised the critical role of tailored communication strategies in mobilising young voters.
“By integrating the knowledge and experiences gained during my fellowship, I hope to adapt successful approaches to suit the context in Georgia, empowering our youth to take an active role in shaping their future through voting and civic engagement.”
European values
As a father, Giga says his six-year-old son is his motivation. “I want him to live in a country with freedom of speech, open governance, transparency and accountability,” he says. “This is what I was always trying to reach for myself. I want my child and his friends to grow up in this kind of society.
He adds: “I’m proud that in Georgia there’s a strong civil society that shows European values. Seeing people come together over the last year makes our hearts stronger, even with the brutality of what is happening around us. I believe civil society in Georgia can make real change.”
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