Interview
Talk to EU later: Georgia’s fiery protests
The EconomistRosie Bloor, Jason Palmer, David Rennie, Anna Toklikishvili, Shailesh Chitnis, Moeka Iida
- Georgia's EU accession freeze is projected to persist for four years, likely shifting the nation's orientation toward Russia rather than Europe due to prevailing geopolitical trends and limited European appetite for enlargement.
- Future protests in Georgia are anticipated to remain large-scale and volatile, with a trajectory dependent on continued resistance to police brutality; while civil war is not expected, there is a possibility of escalation into a bloody revolution similar to other chaotic regime changes.
- European governments are predicted to maintain restrictive stances against new memberships, creating a dilemma where punishing Georgia's government could inadvertently push the country into Russia's sphere of influence.
- Russia is expected to continue framing the Georgian protests as typical examples of Western interference to justify its position and counter Western narratives.
- Scientific research regarding the specific harms of ultra-processed foods is not expected to provide definitive answers for a long time, though Dr. Kevin Hall is currently conducting a larger study cycling through different food combinations to identify the causes of weight gain.
- Demographic strategies for maintaining high fertility rates in the region are expected to rely heavily on the involvement of "cooperative fathers," with governments acknowledging that addressing the demographic crisis requires both increasing birth rates and improving paternal engagement.