Georgian parliament wants to introduce anti-LGBTQ law
The Parliament in Georgia has brought a legislative package against the spread of homosexuality to the table. Lawmakers discussed the proposal on Thursday in the first reading, which aims to ban "propaganda" for same-sex relationships and LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) in schools, universities and television programs. If the Parliament passes the law, it would go against the principles of the EU, which Georgia aspires to join. Relations are already strained, following the passage of a law against "foreign agents" in May. The law requires organizations receiving more than one fifth of their funding from abroad to register as "foreign agent influencers." The EU stated that the law had halted Georgia's further approach to the Union for the time being.
The "Georgian Dream" party had brought Georgia closer to Russia again. The foreign agent law is in a similar form in effect in the neighboring country. For weeks, tens of thousands of people had protested against it.
The LGBT law aims to ban depictions of same-sex relationships from schools, universities and television programs. Non-heterosexual couples would not be allowed to adopt children under the law. LGBT meetings could be banned based on the law. Same-sex marriages are already prohibited in Georgia according to the Constitution. The influence of the Orthodox Church remains significant in the country.
Opposition parties believe that the "Georgian Dream" party is trying to court conservative voter blocs with the law ahead of the October parliamentary elections.
The Anti-LGBTQ law proposed by the Georgian Parliament could potentially mismatch with the EU's principles, as Georgia aims to join the Union. This legislation, if passed, would ban "propaganda" for same-sex relationships and LGBTQ issues in schools, universities, and media, forming a significant path in shaping relationships and societal norms. The EU, in response to the "foreign agents" law earlier this year, has temporarily halted Georgia's progress towards Union membership due to concerns over democratic backsliding.
