Previous Man City soccer player chosen as Georgian leader
Date
12/16/2024 6:16:31 AM
(MENAFN) Mikhail Kavelashvili, a former footballer who played for Manchester City, has been elected as Georgia’s new president. The Georgian parliament voted in favor of Kavelashvili’s candidacy with 224 out of 300 legislators supporting him. At 53, Kavelashvili was the only candidate considered for the role, which is largely ceremonial in Georgia's parliamentary republic system, where executive power rests with the prime Minister and the government.
Despite the broad support from lawmakers, the opposition, particularly the pro-EU faction, has rejected the presidential vote results. Since the ruling Georgian Dream party's parliamentary victory in October, protests have erupted in the capital, with demonstrators waving Georgian and EU flags, chanting for the outgoing president, Salome Zourabichvili.
This election marks the first time that Georgia's president has been chosen by parliament instead of through a popular vote. Kavelashvili, who previously served in the Georgian Dream party, is now part of the newly formed People’s Party, which holds seats in the ruling coalition.
Before entering politics, Kavelashvili had a successful football career, playing for clubs such as Manchester City, Dinamo Tbilisi, Spartak Vladikavkaz, and several Swiss teams, including Basel and Grasshoppers. He also represented the Georgian national team, scoring 9 goals in 46 appearances.
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