Eurosceptic games in the EU candidate states: the case of Georgia

The war between Russia and Ukraine had a significant impact on the European Union (EU) and its neighbouring countries. The EU’s strong support for Ukraine, along with economic and migration problems, fuelled Euroscepticism across Europe. This trend was also observed in EU candidate member states, including Georgia, the newest member on the list. Despite the high pro-European public consensus, the article finds that political elite-led Euroscepticism has turned from marginal to mainstream. The study analyses Georgian politicians’ rhetoric to explain this process’s features and logic. In addition, the paper identifies two main types of party-based Euroscepticism in EU candidate states: ‘sulking child’ and ‘smug teenager’. Hence, the study will contribute to further theoretical reconsideration and empirical testing of Euroscepticism in EU candidate states using case studies and comparative perspectives.