A former Premier League footballer has been appointed president of Georgia amid heightening tensions over the nation’s relationship with Russia.
Mikheil Kavelashvili, 53, was a striker for Manchester Metropolis between 1996 and 1997, and later performed for a number of golf equipment within the Swiss Tremendous League.
He was elected to parliament in 2016, and in 2022 co-founded the Folks’s Energy political motion – a splinter group of the ruling Georgian Dream occasion.
Mr Kavelashvili has strongly anti-Western, usually conspiratorial views. His election to the principally ceremonial position units him as much as change a pro-Western incumbent after weeks of protests towards the federal government’s suspension of European Union accession talks.
Picture:
Kavelashvili taking part in for Manchester Metropolis in August 1996 towards Ipswich City. Pic: Reuters
Mr Kavelashvili was additionally one of many authors of a controversial legislation requiring organisations that obtain greater than 20% of their funding from overseas to register as “pursuing the interest of a foreign power” – just like a Russian legislation used to discredit organisations essential of the federal government.
The ex-footballer simply gained the presidential vote as Georgian Dream controls a 300-seat electoral school that changed direct presidential elections in 2017. It’s made up of members of parliament, municipal councils and regional legislatures.
Protesters gathered outdoors Tbilisi’s parliament constructing in freezing situations after Mr Kavelashvili’s appointment on Saturday morning. They introduced their college diplomas – after critcism that Mr Kavelashvili lacks greater schooling – whereas others kicked footballs and waved pink playing cards.
Protester Vezi Kokhodze described right this moment’s vote as “treason” towards what he stated was Georgians’ need to combine with the West.
“Today’s election represents the clear wish of the system to bring Georgia back to its Soviet roots,” he stated.
One other protester, Sandro Samkharadze, stated: ″[Kavelashvili] shouldn’t be elected by us. He’s managed by a puppet authorities, by Bidzina Ivanishvili, by Putin.”
Demonstrators have also vowed that the protests would continue.”If [the government] desires to go to Russia, they will go to Russia, as a result of we aren’t going anyplace. We’re staying right here,” said Kato Kalatozishvili.
Georgian Dream retained control of parliament in the South Caucasus nation in an election on 26 October that the opposition alleges was rigged with Moscow’s help. Georgia’s outgoing president and main pro-Western parties have since boycotted parliamentary sessions and demanded a rerun of the vote.
Georgian Dream has vowed to continue pushing toward EU accession but also wants to “reset” ties with Russia.
Critics have accused Georgian Dream – established by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a shadowy billionaire who made his fortune in Russia – of becoming increasingly authoritarian and tilted toward Moscow. The ruling party has denied these accusations.
Georgian Dream recently pushed through laws similar to those used by the Kremlin to crack down on freedom of speech and LGBTQ+ rights.
Salome Zourabichvili, a pro-Western politician, has been president since 2018 and has vowed to stay on after her six-year term ends on Monday, describing herself as the only legitimate leader until a new election is held.
In a post on X shortly before the vote, Zourabichvili said her successor’s election represented “a mockery of democracy”.
Georgian Dream’s transfer to freeze the EU accession course of till 2028, abruptly halting a long-standing nationwide aim that’s written into the nation’s structure, has provoked widespread anger in Georgia, the place opinion polls present that in search of EU membership is overwhelmingly well-liked.
Hundreds have gathered outdoors parliament each evening because the suspension on 28 November, with riot police utilizing water cannons and tear gasoline to disperse. Officers have additionally assaulted demonstrators and journalists.
The federal government has repeatedly stated the protests symbolize an try to stage a pro-EU revolution and a violent seizure of energy, with police detaining lots of of demonstrators.
On Friday, parliament permitted sweeping new restrictions on protests, mountaineering fines for members and organisers, and banning face coverings, fireworks and lasers used to dazzle cops at rallies.
The EU, which granted Georgia candidate standing in December 2023 given that the nation meets the bloc’s suggestions, put its accession on maintain and minimize monetary help in June following approval of the international affect legislation.
Georgia was seen for many years as one of the pro-Western and democratic of the Soviet Union’s successor states, however relations with the West have soured this yr over the nation’s obvious international coverage pivot and authoritarian drift.
For the reason that outbreak of the warfare in Ukraine, Georgian Dream has moved to enhance ties with Russia, which dominated Georgia for 200 years till 1991.
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