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Georgian Azerbaijanis and their Political Participation
When looking into the demographics of Georgia, the first thing that comes into attention is the country’s multiethnic profile. According to the latest population census, Georgia’s total population amounts to more than 3.7 million people, of which 86.8% are ethnic Georgians. Meanwhile, the country harbors many ethnic minorities such as Azerbaijanis, Armenians, Russians, Ossetians, Yazidi Kurds, etc. According to the statistics, ethnic Azerbaijanis are the biggest ethnic minority, making up 6.3% of the population, followed by ethnic Armenians with 4.5%. The Azerbaijani minority is mainly concentrated in the regions of Kvemo-Kartli and Kakheti, with small segments also residing in Central Tbilisi. Interestingly, Azerbaijanis mainly live in rural areas, with nearly 200.000 people inhabiting the countryside. We can assume that urban-rural divide affects the political participation directly, accompanied by the knowledge of Georgian language.
While participation of ethnic minorities in Georgia’s political processes has always been a topic of discussion, after the recent parliamentary elections in Georgia - which took place in October 2024 - the electoral results and the election polls themselves brought a lot of controversy in ethnic minority regions.
This report will revolve around the Georgian-Azerbaijani community, investigating their current situation, their troubles, political activism and election behaviours concurrently as well as the different approach of several political parties to ethnic minorities in Georgia, with a focus on the Azerbaijani minority. Additionally, a comparison of different election results in ethnic minority regions will be provided.
Download the full report.
- TOPICS :
- Domestic affairs
- Geopolitics
- History
- REGIONS :
- South Caucasus
Jamal Valiyev
Jamal Veliyev is a 4th year student of the Academy of Public Administration, majoring in International Relations. He is one of the authors of "Bosnia and Herzegovina: Collection of Articles on History, Conflict and Peace", jointly published by the Eurasian Cooperation Foundation and the Topchubashov Center. His main research interests include the South Caucasus, Eastern Europe and the Balkans.
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