The governing party in Georgia has withdrawn a controversial draft law on foreign agents that had caused days of protests in Tbilisi.

The proposed law had been criticized for potentially restricting civil liberties in Georgia.

The governing party, Georgian Dream, acknowledged that the bill had caused division in society.

The party had previously argued that the law was necessary to root out people working against Georgia's interests.

Riot police had been deployed on the streets of Tbilisi for successive nights to quell the protests.

The protests had been violently suppressed by the police, leading to injuries to both protesters and police officers.

The opposition had accused the ruling party of misrepresenting the proposed bill and falsely labeling it as a Russian law.

The bill's opponents had feared that it represented pro-Russian interests prevailing in Georgia.

Many Georgians want their country to be part of the European family and saw the proposed law as a move toward Russia.

The withdrawal of the proposed law has been welcomed by the United States, the EU, and Georgians who see it as a victory for the country's freedom and civil society.