Georgia Elects Mikheil Kavelashvili as New President Amid Protests

Georgian lawmakers on Saturday elected Mikheil Kavelashvili, a hardline critic of the West, as president, replacing pro-European incumbent Salome Zourabichvili, Reuters reported. The election follows significant unrest in Georgia after the ruling Georgian Dream party suspended EU accession talks, a move that has sparked widespread protests.

Kavelashvili, a former professional soccer player and leader of the anti-Western People’s Power group, received 224 out of 225 votes from the electoral college, with all opposition parties boycotting the parliament. Protesters gathered outside, denouncing the election as “treason” against Georgia’s pro-EU aspirations.

Outgoing President Zourabichvili, who claims the election is illegitimate due to alleged electoral fraud, has vowed to remain in her position. Kavelashvili will be inaugurated on December 29.

It should be mentioned that Muslims make up about 10% of Georgia’s population, with the Shia population primarily composed of ethnic Azerbaijani Muslims residing near the border with Azerbaijan. In recent years, many attempts have been made by religious figures — including Malkhaz Songulashvili — to promote faith tolerance and harmony in the nation.