On Saturday, Mikheil Kavelashvili is elected as new President of Georgia. Georgian President are picked by a college of electors composed of MPs and representatives of local government. Georgian lawmakers elected Mikheil Kavelashvili, a hardline critic of the West.
Kavelashvili, a former soccer player known for his critical stance toward the West, in public speeches this year, has repeatedly alleged that Western intelligence agencies are seeking to drive Georgia into war with Russia. He received 224 out of 225 votes from the electoral college. All opposition parties boycotted the vote, citing concerns about the fairness of the October parliamentary elections, which Georgian Dream officially won.
Kavelashvili was nominated by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a billionaire and former prime minister widely considered influential in Georgian politics. Kavelashvili co-authored a controversial law requiring organizations receiving significant foreign funding to register as agents of foreign influence.
Outgoing President Zourabichvili has declared parliament illegitimate and vowed to stay in office, positioning herself as a leader of the protest movement. Demonstrators outside parliament, using symbolic protests like waving red cards, have called for the restoration of Georgia’s pro-EU trajectory. The political divide raises concerns about Georgia’s democratic future and international alignment.
