A former Manchester City footballer, Mikheil Kavelashvili, is poised to be appointed president by Georgia’s contested parliament on Saturday, following 16 days of pro-EU protests sweeping the nation.
Kavelashvili, 53, a member of the ruling Georgian Dream party and founder of the anti-Western People’s Power party, is the sole candidate for the role. His appointment has been rejected by four opposition groups, who have boycotted parliament, citing the October elections as rigged.
Outgoing pro-Western president Salome Zourabichvili has denounced Kavelashvili’s election as illegitimate, claiming her office is the country’s last legitimate institution. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has dismissed her criticisms, asserting that Georgia’s state institutions remain robust.
Protests erupted after the government announced a pause in EU accession talks until 2028, defying the overwhelming public support for EU integration enshrined in Georgia’s constitution. Demonstrators, draped in EU flags, have demanded new elections, accusing Georgian Dream of undermining democratic values and steering the country toward Russian influence.
Kavelashvili, accused of propagating anti-Western narratives, has labeled opposition leaders as foreign agents and criticized Zourabichvili as a “chief agent.” His election, via a 300-member electoral college dominated by Georgian Dream loyalists, is expected to intensify protests.
The EU and US have condemned the government for democratic backsliding, with the US imposing visa restrictions on Georgian officials. Protesters have called for international sanctions against top government figures, including Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, amid allegations of widespread police brutality and harassment of civil society.
As protests continue, the Georgian public remains determined to defend their constitutional commitment to a European future.
