Georgia signs anti-LGBTQ bill into law

On Thursday, the speaker of Georgia’s parliament enacted legislation mirroring Russian laws that restrict LGBTQ rights, despite warnings from the European Union. This development followed the refusal of Georgia’s pro-Western president, Salome Zurabishvili, to endorse the bill, highlighting her ongoing conflict with the ruling Georgian Dream party.

The newly signed law resembles Moscow’s “gay propaganda” legislation, imposing bans on gender reassignment and invalidating same-sex marriages conducted either domestically or abroad. Speaker Shalva Papuashvili announced on Facebook, “In accordance with the constitution, I have signed the law titled ‘On Family Values and the Protection of Minors,’ which Salome Zurabishvili declined to sign.”

The Georgian Dream party had expedited the bill’s passage through parliament last month, a process that was boycotted by opposition members and has escalated tensions ahead of critical parliamentary elections set for October 26. Papuashvili asserted that the law is grounded in “common sense, historical experience, and enduring Christian, Georgian, and European values” rather than transient ideologies.

He contended that the legislation safeguards the rights of all citizens. However, human rights organizations and Western nations have criticized the bill as discriminatory, warning it fosters a hostile environment for LGBTQ individuals. This concern intensified following the tragic stabbing of a prominent transgender woman in Georgia last month, occurring amid the law’s progression.

The legislation further follows Tbilisi’s recent implementation of a controversial “foreign influence” law targeting NGOs, which sparked weeks of widespread protests and condemnation from Western allies. Critics argue that the Georgian Dream party is aligning itself more closely with the Kremlin, jeopardizing the nation’s aspirations for EU membership.