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Ex-Footballer Mikheil Kavelashvili Inaugurated as Georgia's President Amid Protests and Outgoing Leader's Defiance

Dec 29, 2024, 11:39 AM

Former Manchester City footballer Mikheil Kavelashvili was inaugurated as Georgia's new president on Sunday, December 29, 2024, amid mass protests and political turmoil. The inauguration, held behind closed doors in parliament without foreign ambassadors present, has been denounced by the opposition as illegitimate. Outgoing president Salome Zourabichvili, a pro-Western leader born in France, declared she is the 'only legitimate president' and called for new, fair parliamentary elections. She left the presidential palace surrounded by supporters, stating, 'I will leave this place and be with you... I will bring legitimacy with me.' Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Tbilisi, showing red cards to symbolize their rejection of Kavelashvili, referencing his football career. The new president is aligned with the ruling Georgian Dream party, which is considered pro-Russian and anti-Western. The opposition alleges that the election was fraudulent, marking a setback to Georgia's aspirations to join the European Union. Police detained several protesters, some violently, as demonstrations continued in the capital.