Mikheil Kavelashvili, a former Manchester City footballer, is poised to be appointed president of Georgia on Saturday by the country’s parliament, following 16 days of intense pro-European Union protests. Kavelashvili, 53, is the only candidate for the position and is backed by the ruling Georgian Dream party, which has been accused of increasingly authoritarian practices.
The four main opposition parties have rejected his candidacy and are boycotting the parliamentary vote, citing allegations of election rigging in the October elections. These protests erupted after the government announced plans to postpone EU accession talks until 2028, a decision which has been met with fierce opposition, as Georgia’s constitution stipulates a path to EU membership.
Outgoing President Salome Zourabichvili has condemned Kavelashvili’s election as illegitimate, asserting that her presidency represents the last remaining legitimate institution in the country. In response, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has accused Zourabichvili of undermining Georgia’s interests, claiming that she will no longer be president after December 29.
On Friday, Tbilisi saw widespread protests from various sectors, including IT professionals, public sector workers, and lawyers, who voiced their demand for the government to respect the constitution and human rights. Lawyer Davit Kikaleishvili expressed, “We are standing here to create a legal state once and for all.”
Kavelashvili, the founder of the anti-Western People’s Power party, has previously accused opposition parties of being foreign-funded and referred to Zourabichvili as a “chief agent.” While his party ran alongside Georgian Dream in the October elections, it now positions itself as the “healthy opposition.”
Georgia’s political landscape is marked by increasing tensions as the Georgian Dream government has been accused of moving the country closer to Russia, with both the EU and the US condemning the government’s democratic backsliding. Over 460 people have been detained in the past two weeks, many of whom have been reportedly tortured, including media workers.
The EU has condemned the violent response to protests, and foreign ministers will discuss further actions against the Georgian government on Monday. Meanwhile, US sanctions on Georgian officials are already in effect. Protesters are calling for international sanctions on government officials and billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, a key figure behind Georgian Dream.
As Kavelashvili’s election looms, the future of Georgia’s democratic institutions remains uncertain, with continuing unrest and fears of growing authoritarianism.
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