Mikheil Kavelashvili: From Manchester City to Georgia’s new president ...Middle East

A far-right former Manchester City footballer has been appointed the new president of Georgia.

Mikheil Kavelashvili, 53, was chosen by a college of electors composed of MPs and representatives of local government.

On Saturday, 224 of the 225 electors present voted for Kavelashvili, the only candidate up for nomination.

It comes 17 days after the country was rocked by protests sparked by the government’s suspension of European Union accession talks, amid escalating tension over Georgia’s relationship with Russia.

The nation has been gripped by unrest since the governing Georgian Dream party retained power in the October election.

The result has been roundly questioned, with protesters draped in EU flags clamouring outside parliament for a fresh election after opposition groups alleged the recent poll was rigged with Russia’s help.

After winning power, Georgian Dream froze the EU accession process until 2028, bringing to a halt a goal widely supported by Georgians and one which is written into the country’s constitution.

Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Georgian Dream has tried to move closer to Russia, which ruled Georgia for 200 years until 1991.

Georgian player Mikhail Kavelashvili (L) fights for the ball in 1999 (Photo: Tor Richardsen/Scanpix/AFP)

Kavelashvili is a pro-Russian, vocal critic of the west who is opposed to LGBTQ rights and has repeatedly claimed that western intelligence agencies are attempting to propel Georgia into war with Russia.

Before entering politics, he was a striker for Manchester City between 1996 and 1997 and went on to play for a number of clubs in the Swiss Super League.

In 2016, he was elected to Georgia’s parliament and in 2022 co-founded the People’s Power political movement, a splinter of the Georgian Dream party.

What has been the reaction to his appointment?

Kavelashvili’s appointment has been denounced as “illegitimate” by the four main opposition parties who have boycotted parliament in response.

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The current sitting president, Salome Zourabichvili, who is pro-West, has refused to step down and is demanding new parliamentary elections.

An author of Georgia’s constitution, Vakhtang Khmaladze, has said that all decisions by the new parliament are void.

“Georgia is facing an unprecedented constitutional crisis,” Khmaladze said.

Kavelashvili’s appointment was met by protests outside parliament on Saturday morning.

Many people brought their university diplomas with them in a symbol of criticism of the fact Kavelashvili lacks higher education, while others played football in the snow and waved red cards.

One woman, 40-year-old Natia Apkhazava, said she was demonstrating to “protect our European future”.

“Our election was rigged,” she said. “We need new elections. We have been protesting here for 16 days.. and we’ll keep fighting for our European future.”

Another, Vezi Kokhodze, told Sky News the vote was “treason” against Georgians’ desire for a closer relationship with the West.

“Today’s election represents the clear wish of the system to bring Georgia back to its Soviet roots,” he said.

Protester Sandro Samkharadze said Kavelashvili “is controled by a puppet government, by [ex-prime minister] Bidzina Ivanishvili, by Putin.”

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