Georgia’s Electoral College Elects Mikhail Kavelashvili as President Amid Protests

Mikhail Kavelashvili, a former footballer and member of the ruling Georgian Dream party, was elected president of Georgia on Thursday in the first round of voting by the electoral college, which saw 224 out of 300 members casting their ballots in his favor. The 53-year-old, who played for Alania and Manchester City, is the sole candidate for the presidency, a position he now holds despite opposition protests and calls for new elections.

The election, held in the Georgian parliament, marks the first time in the country’s history that the president was not directly elected by the people, but by an electoral college, drawing widespread criticism from the opposition. Thousands of demonstrators gathered outside parliament, protesting against what they see as an illegitimate process.

Opposition parties, who boycotted the elections, have argued that the electoral college, formed after contested parliamentary elections in October, lacks the legitimacy to elect the country's president. They accuse Kavelashvili of being a puppet of Georgian oligarch Bidzina Ivanishvili, whose influence looms large in the Georgian political landscape.

"The legitimacy of the election is in question, and we believe there are two presidents in Georgia now: the legitimate Salome Zourabichvili and the illegitimate Mikhail Kavelashvili, appointed by Ivanishvili," said Fadi Asli, Chairman of the International Chamber of Commerce, in a social media post.

Salome Zourabichvili, the current president, has repeatedly condemned the elections and insisted that she remains the rightful president of Georgia. In a statement, she emphasized that Georgia needs a legitimate government chosen by the people, and reiterated her call for new parliamentary elections.

“The election today is a parody. I am not going anywhere, because our country needs a legitimate institution and a government that represents the will of the people,” Zourabichvili said. She also expressed her gratitude to the mothers leading the protests against the ruling party’s stance on European Union accession negotiations.

The political crisis deepened as opposition parties demanded fresh and fair elections. "The only way out of this crisis is new and just elections," said Irakli Kupradze, a representative of the Strong Georgia party, in a joint statement from opposition groups.

Despite the growing protests and calls for new elections, the ruling Georgian Dream party is moving forward with plans for Kavelashvili’s inauguration, which is set for December 29. Meanwhile, on the day of the election, Tbilisi mayor Kakha Kaladze promised to light the city’s Christmas tree in front of parliament, a symbolic act to mark the holiday season amid ongoing protests.

On the international front, Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev sent a congratulatory message to Kavelashvili following his election. In his letter, Aliyev highlighted the historic ties between Azerbaijan and Georgia, built on mutual respect and cooperation. He expressed confidence that the two countries would continue to strengthen their strategic partnership for the prosperity and security of the region.

“Our bilateral relations, based on a solid foundation of mutual respect and trust, are expanding and thriving. I believe that we will make joint efforts to further enhance our intergovernmental relations and strategic partnership for the prosperity of our nations and the stability of our region,” Aliyev wrote.

The political unrest in Georgia is far from over, with opposition leaders and protestors vowing to continue their fight against what they view as a politically manipulated election.