Ex Footballer Mikheil Kavelashvili elected Georgia's President

Former footballer Mikheil Kavelashvili was elected as the new President of Georgia on 14 December, 2024. Mikheil Kavelashvili, who played football for the Georgian national team and various European club teams, was elected unopposed as the President as the opposition boycotted the election.

The pro-Russian and anti-west Mikheil Kavelashvili will replace the pro-western incumbent President Salome Zourabichvili. President Salome Zourabichvili has condemned the election of Mikheil Kavelashvili.

The President of Georgia is largely a ceremonial post and has no real power. The real power is with the Prime Minister.

 Mikheil Kavelashvili will be sworn in as the Georgian President on 29 December 2024.

Election of Mikheil Kavelashvili 

The President of Georgia is indirectly elected. The President is elected by a 300-member electoral college consisting of members of the Georgian Parliament and the representatives of the regional governments.

Mikheil Kavelashvili, the founder of the People’s Power Party, was supported by the ruling Georgian Dream party in the presidential election.

During the election, Mikheil Kavelashvili secured 224 out of the 225 members of the electoral college who voted in the presidential election. 

The presidential election was boycotted by the opposition, who believed that the parliamentary election in October 2024 was rigged in favour of the ruling Georgian Dream Party.

Background to Protest in the Country

Georgia was part of the Soviet Union and gained independence in 1991 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

It was initially pro-Russia, but after the ‘Rose Revolution’ in 2003, the pro-Russian regime was overthrown in a popular revolt, and a pro-Western government came into power. 

Mikheil Saakashvili, who came to power after the Rose Revolution, followed a pro-West and anti-Russia policy.

In 2008, there was a brief war between Russia and Georgia, and the rebellious Georgian region of  Abkhazia and South Ossetia became an independent country with Russian support.

The diplomatic relations between the two countries were broken, and there are currently no diplomatic relationships between the two.

After the coming into power of the Georgian Dream Party in 2012, the country slowly moved away from Western influence.

The Georgian government has refused to condemn Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, and neither has joined the USA-led Western alliance sanction on Russia. 

Since the war, Russian tourists have been increasingly coming to Georgia, and direct flights between the two countries were restored in 2023. 

In an instance of increasing warming of ties with Georgia, Russia dropped its visa requirements for Georgians.

Disputed Parliamentary election in Georgia

Parliamentary election was held on 26 October 2024, and the ruling party, with 54 % of the votes, secured 89 seats in the 150-member Georgian Parliament.

The election result was disputed by the opposition and the Western countries.

Since the declaration of the parliamentary result, the opposition parties have held daily protests in Georgia against the government and calling for pro-European policies. 

The Irakli Kobakhidze government, which came to power after the 2024 parliamentary election, has announced that Georgia's application to join the 27-nation European Union had been deferred till 2028.

About Georgia 

Georgia is a Transcaucasian country located along the Black Sea in Europe.

Capital: Tbilisi

Currency: Georgian Lari

Prime Minister:Irakli Kobakhidze

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