French National Assembly Condemns Georgian Dream, Calls for Sanctions on Ivanishvili
By Messenger Staff
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
The French National Assembly adopted a resolution on May 12 condemning the Georgian Dream government's "illiberal and authoritarian drift" and calling for targeted sanctions against party founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, who reportedly holds French citizenship.
The resolution, first proposed in September 2025, passed with 68 votes in favor, 28 against, and one abstention. Georgia's fifth president, Salome Zourabichvili, attended the debate.
The National Assembly condemned "the authoritarian drift of the Georgian government, violations of fundamental rights, restrictions on freedom of expression and assembly, and the disproportionate use of force against peaceful demonstrators," and called for the immediate release of all political prisoners, including opposition leaders and protesters convicted for what the resolution described as democratic engagement.
On EU accession, the resolution called on European institutions to maintain the de facto suspension of Georgia's accession process "as long as political criteria are not met," while reaffirming that Georgia's European future "cannot be compromised by the actions of its current government" and that the accession perspective should remain open once conditions are met.
The document called on the French government to support sanctions against individuals named in a February 2025 European Parliament resolution, "in particular Bidzina Ivanishvili and his close associates." It also called on Paris to review the conditions under which Ivanishvili was awarded the Legion of Honour and "consider withdrawing this distinction in light of actions contrary to the values of the Republic."
The resolution further urged Paris to publicly denounce foreign interference in Georgia, specifically "the influence exerted by the Russian regime over Georgian political institutions and over oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili," and to actively support Georgian democratic forces, including NGOs, independent media, and academic institutions.
