Ex-football player Kavelashvili becomes Georgia's president as ruling party consolidates power

Former football player Mikheil Kavelashvili became president of Georgia on Saturday, as the ruling party tightens its grip in what the opposition has called a blow to the country’s hopes to join the EU and a victory for Russia.

It was a straightforward victory for Kavelashvili, 53, given the Georgian Dream party's control of the 300-seat electoral college that replaced direct presidential elections in 2017.

The votes come from electors made up of MPs and representatives of local government. Out of the 225 electors present for the vote, 224 voted for Kavelashvili. He was the only candidate nominated.

Georgian Dream retained control of parliament in an election on 26 October, which the opposition claims was rigged with Russia's help.

Outgoing president, Salome Zourabichivili, and the country's main pro-western parties have since then boycotted parliamentary sessions and demand a re-run of the ballot.

The ruling party's decision last month to suspend the country's accession process to join the European Union until 2028 caused outrage among the opposition and has led to large-scale protests. On its part, Georgian Dream has vowed to continue pushing toward EU accession but also wants to “reset” ties with Russia.

Georgian Dream was established by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a billionaire who made his fortune in Russia. The party has been accused of becoming increasingly authoritarian and tilted toward Moscow, all of which it denies. Nevertheless, it has recently passed laws that crack down on freedom of speech as well as LGBTQ+ rights, in a similar vein to Russia.

In 2008, Russia fought a short war with Georgia, which led to Moscow’s recognition of two breakaway regions as independent and an increase in Russian military presence in South Ossetia and Abkhazia.

Who is Mikheil Kavelashvili?

The new president had a successful career as a footballer, playing as a striker for English Premier League team Manchester City as well as a number of teams in the Swiss Super League.

He was first elected to parliament in 2016 as a member of Georgian Dream, and in 2022 co-founded the People’s Power political movement, which was allied with Georgian Dream and become known for its strong anti-Western rhetoric.

Kavelashvili was also one of the authors of a controversial law that requires organisations which receive more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as "pursuing the interest of a foreign power". A similar law exists in Russia, which has been used to discredit organisations critical of the government.

The EU, which had granted Georgia candidate status for EU accession in December 2023, paused the process and cut financial support after the "foreign influence" law was approved in June.

Outgoing president has said she will stay on

The pro-western Salome Zourabichvili had been president since 2018, when she was elected with Georgian Dream's support, 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.

“I remain your president - there is no legitimate Parliament and thus no legitimate election or inauguration,” she posted on the social network X late last month. “My mandate continues.”

Prior to Zourabichivili's election, constitutional changes had made the president's role effectively ceremonial. She subsequently became highly critical of the ruling party, accurind it of applying pro-Russia policies. Attempts by Georgian Dream to impeach her were unsusccessful.

Opposition parties have also said they will continue to see Zourabichvili as the country's legitimate president, even after Kavelashvili's inauguration on 29 December.