Transnational Anti-Russian Populism: The Curious Case Of Mikhail Saakashvili

• In Event: Understanding and Explaining Populism in Central Europe and the Caucasus

Abstract

The contribution of the paper is the identification of anti-Russian populism as a motivating force, and unifying theme, across three decades of Georgian electoral politics. Drawing on public survey data, a time-series of electoral outcomes, and a variety of original interview data, this paper traces the evolution of anti-Russian populism across four post-independence political periods (Gamsakhurdia’s Round Table Free Georgia, Shevardnadze’s Union of Citizens, Saakashvili’s United National Movement, and the post-Saakashvili Georgia Dream coalition). The paper concludes with speculative discussion of whether the Georgian model of anti-Russian populism -- which is distinguished by its persistent emphasis on geopolitical alignment rather than ethnic, identity, or economic appeals -- might be an attractive model for future populist movements in other post-Soviet hybrid regimes.

Author

• Jesse Driscoll, University of California, San Diego