Georgia: Mikhail Kavelashvili Elected as New President
Kavelashvili, 53, who is pro-Russian and supports the current government, has been known for a long time in football: he is a former Manchester City player
Mikhail Kavelashvili, 53, has been elected as the new president of Georgia. The candidate represented by the ruling Georgian Dream party received 224 votes from the electoral college. This was stated by Chairman of the Central Election Commission of Georgia Giorgi Kalandrishvili. At least 200 votes out of a total of 300 in the electoral college, which in 2017 following the U.S. proposal replaced direct presidential elections, are needed to validate the vote.
Kavelashvili (pictured) is a longtime football celebrity: he has been a former player of Manchester City and various Swiss clubs. Known for his pragmatic stance on Russia and his insults against opponents of the current government, he has been accused by the opposition of having “exaggeratedly close ties” with billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of Georgian Dream.
