Georgia's parliament approves anti-LGTBQ+ bill

Georgia's parliament on Tuesday approved a law on "family values and the protection of minors" that would restrict LGBTQ+ rights.

The law would allow authorities to outlaw Pride events and public displays of the LGBTQ+ flag and censor the media.

The move comes a little over a month before Georgia's next parliamentary election due for October 26. Critics have compared the law to similar ones adopted in neighboring Russia, where "non-traditional sexual relations" and LGBTQ+ activism are banned.

What do we know about the bill?

Lawmakers from the ruling Georgian Dream party voted 84 to 0 to approve the legislation in a vote boycotted by the opposition.

Georgian Dream party leaders say the law is needed to safeguard Georgia's traditional moral values.

Georgia is a predominantly Christian country where the Georgian Orthodox Church holds substantial sway.

Tamara Jakeli, director of the Tbilisi Pride group, told the Reuters news agency the bill would likely force her to close down her organization.

"This law is the most terrible thing to happen to the LGBT community in Georgia," she said. "We will likely have to shut down. There is no way for us to continue functioning."

Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili, a former ally of Georgian Dream who has become openly critical of Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze's government, has indicated she plans to block the bill. However, Georgian Dream has enough support in parliament to override her veto.

In Georgia, the office of president is largely ceremonial and most power lies in the hands of the prime minister.

LGTBQ+ restrictions follow 'foreign agent's law

Earlier this year, Georgia passed a controversial "foreign agents" law that the opposition, the European Union and the US criticized as authoritarian, alleging it was inspired by a similar law in Russia.

The bill sparked some of the largest protests in the Caucasian country since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

Georgia has been a candidate for EU membership since December 2023. Brussels has warned that the foreign agent and LGBTQ+ laws could jeopardize Georgia's accession to the bloc.

sdi/rmt (AFP, Reuters, AP)