In a significant political shift, Georgia is poised to appoint Mikheil Kavelashvili, a former Manchester City footballer and a member of the ruling Georgian Dream party, as the country’s next president amid ongoing social unrest. This comes after 16 days of sustained pro-European Union protests that have engulfed various cities, reflecting a growing discontent among the populace regarding the government’s decisions and the direction in which the nation is headed.
Kavelashvili, at 53 years old, is expected to be confirmed as president by an electoral college heavily influenced by his own party, which has been criticized for its increasingly authoritarian approach to governance. His appointment occurs in a tense climate where the legitimacy of the October elections is under scrutiny, as four major opposition factions have denounced the electoral process, alleging that it was marred by fraud. Salome Zourabichvili, the outgoing pro-Western president, has openly condemned Kavelashvili’s election, claiming it undermines the legitimacy of Georgia’s institutions.
In reaction to these developments, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has accused Zourabichvili of jeopardizing the country’s interests and stated that once her presidency officially ends on December 29, she will no longer be in office. Kobakhidze emphasized the strength of Georgia’s state institutions amidst a backdrop of increased tensions and public unrest. Meanwhile, Zourabichvili maintains that she is the only remaining legitimate representative of the Georgian state, despite the administration’s attempts to marginalize her authority.
The protests, which erupted following the government’s announcement to suspend EU accession negotiations until 2028, have seen an outpouring of public support for the pro-EU stance, a commitment enshrined in the country’s constitution. Demonstrators, brandishing EU flags, have made nightly appearances outside the parliament in Tbilisi, demanding fresh elections and an end to the Georgian Dream’s leadership, which many citizens perceive as leaning closer to Russian influence.
As the parliamentary vote to finalize Kavelashvili’s presidency looms, expectations grow for further demonstrations specifically targeting this electoral decision. This vote will be conducted by a 300-member electoral college filled with MPs and local officials who have pledged allegiance to the Georgian Dream party. In anticipation, Friday saw an outpouring of spontaneous protests in Tbilisi involving various professional groups, all expressing their commitment to upholding the rule of law and human rights.
Kavelashvili himself has aligned with a political narrative that paints opposition parties as foreign agents undermining Georgia’s sovereignty. He previously founded the People’s Power party, which has been vocal in its anti-Western messaging. His rise in politics came after he faced disqualification in a bid for leading the Georgian football federation, ultimately stepping into a realm of political ambition instead. Despite having allied with Georgian Dream in the past, his current stance is positioned as a constructive opposition against what he describes as external, radical influences on Georgian politics.
The tensions filtering through Georgia’s political landscape have not gone unnoticed by international observers, with the European Union and the United States expressing concerns over the nation’s democratic backsliding. Recent weeks have witnessed over 460 detentions largely connected to the protests, and reports of human rights abuses have surfaced, including allegations of torture against detainees. Media personnel, too, have faced aggressive intimidation tactics during coverage of the unrest.
The heightened political strain is palpable, with some estimating that over 300 protesters have endured mistreatment during detentions, and shocking acts of aggression have been reported against journalists. As public frustration spills onto the streets with increasing frequency, citizens call for international intervention in the form of sanctions against top officials implicated in these governmental failings. With a volatile political atmosphere surrounding the imminent vote, Georgia stands at a crossroads, teetering between a vision for future European integration and a regression into past influences that many have fought hard to escape.
