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Anti-Western ex-footballer Kavelashvili elected Georgia's President amid opposition boycott and protests

Dec 14, 2024, 12:38 PM

Former footballer Mikheil Kavelashvili, 53, has been elected as the new President of Georgia by the country's parliament on Saturday, amid a deepening political and constitutional crisis. Kavelashvili, a candidate from the ruling Georgian Dream party and a vocal critic of the West with pro-Russian views, received 224 out of 300 votes in an electoral college, marking the first time in Georgia's history that the president was chosen by this method instead of a popular vote. The election was boycotted by the opposition, who dispute the legitimacy of the process following controversial parliamentary elections in October and view the move as a blow to Georgia's European Union aspirations. The appointment of Kavelashvili, a former Manchester City player, comes amid weeks of mass pro-EU protests over stalled EU accession talks and concerns about the country's shift towards Russia. Incumbent President Salome Zourabichvili, a pro-Western figure, has refused to stand down, calling the election unconstitutional. Protesters outside parliament have waved red cards and kicked footballs in mockery of Kavelashvili's appointment.