The nervous month to come

Last week, Mikheil Saakashvili called on the opposition to stand with the government in unity against the Russian threat.

They declined.

Opposition politicians insinuate the president is either insincere in his offer of cooperation, or purposefully running temperatures high in the conflict zones to boost the ruling party’s election campaign.

This, naturally, draws accusations of treason from ruling party figures.

The failure to find common ground—even on the one issue where all Georgians hold a common ground—reveals the extent of the domestic political divide.

Leading opposition contenders say the president is politically illegitimate, after allegations of vote fraud in his reelection—and those are the moderates.

The political spectrum is growing ever more radicalized as the May 21 parliamentary elections approach: the firebrands in the opposition are warning of outright revolt if the parliamentary elections turn foul.

With the country at risk of both internal and external wars, the month of May will be a tense one.