Former Footballer Mikheil Kavelashvili Becomes President of Georgia

Mikheil Kavelashvili is the new President of Georgia. He secured the support of 224 out of 300 Electoral College members. Kavelashvili previously served as a Member of Parliament for three terms.

For the first time in Georgia’s history, the president was chosen by an electoral college rather than direct voting. The college included 300 members. Opposition parties boycotted the process, calling the government illegitimate.

Georgia’s Central Election Commission supervised the election and announced Kavelashvili as the winner after the vote count.

The ruling party, Georgian Dream, nominated Kavelashvili for the presidency in late November. Before his political career, he was a well-known footballer. He played for Georgia’s national team, Tbilisi’s Dinamo, Vladikavkaz’s Alania, England’s Manchester City, and top Swiss clubs. Since 2018, Kavelashvili has represented Georgian Dream in Parliament.