Clashes in Tbilisi as ruling party supporters target opposition rally

The violence comes ahead of municipal elections on 4 October, which opposition parties say they will boycott, accusing the government of abandoning the country’s European path and moving closer to Moscow. Political tensions have gripped Georgia since disputed parliamentary elections in October 2024, when Georgian Dream claimed victory amid allegations of Russian-backed vote-rigging. Opposition leaders, many now jailed, continue to demand fresh elections under international supervision as tensions mount over the government’s suspension of EU integration.

By Africanews