Georgia’s ruling party has appointed a far-right former football player as president through a controversial electoral process, amidst a growing constitutional crisis and weeks of mass pro-EU protests.
The Black Sea nation has faced significant unrest since the governing Georgian Dream party declared victory in the disputed parliamentary elections held in October.
Its decision last month to postpone talks on European Union membership sparked a new wave of large-scale protests.
An electoral college, dominated by the ruling Georgian Dream party and boycotted by the opposition, elected Mikheil Kavelashvili as the country’s next symbolic leader with a significant majority of 224 votes for a five-year term, according to the central election commission.
Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili cast his vote
A member of parliament since 2016, Kavelashvili is known for expressing far-right views in his explicit statements.
“Over the years, certain forces, especially external ones, have manipulated the presidential institution to create divisions within society,” said Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze to reporters.
“Under Mikheil Kavelashvili’s presidency, it will reclaim its constitutional role and dignity.”
The opposition has condemned the election as “illegitimate,” asserting that the current president, Salome Zurabishvili, remains the only legitimate leader of the country.
Read More: Georgia’s political crisis deepens further
Pro-European Ms Zurabishvili, at odds with Georgian Dream, has refused to resign and is calling for new parliamentary elections, setting the stage for a constitutional standoff.
“Georgia never loses its sense of humor, celebrating the election of a footballer as president,” she posted on social media, stating that the vote made “a mockery of democracy.”
A former diplomat, Ms Zurabishvili is a highly regarded figure among protesters, who see her as a symbol of Georgia’s European aspirations.
Protesters began to assemble outside the parliament building, which was cordoned off by police, in anticipation of a planned opposition rally that evening.
Some demonstrators shared tea to keep warm on a cold day with water cannons stationed nearby, as observed by an AFP reporter.
One protester, 40-year-old Natia Apkhazava, expressed her desire “to protect our European future.”
Salome Zourabichvili stated she will not step down until her term is over
“Our (parliamentary) election was rigged. We need new elections,” she stated.
“We have been protesting here for 16 days, and we will continue to fight for our European future.”
Thousands of pro-EU demonstrators rallied outside parliament yesterday for the 16th consecutive night of protests.
Opposition groups accuse Georgian Dream of manipulating the October 26 parliamentary election, undermining democracy, and drawing Tbilisi closer to Russia, despite the nation’s constitutional commitment to pursue EU membership.
Mr Kavelashvili, the sole candidate for the largely ceremonial presidential role, is known for his staunchly anti-Western rhetoric and opposition to LGBTQ rights.
Georgian Dream abolished direct presidential elections in 2017.
Protesters gather outside the parliament building in Tbilisi
With Ms Zurabishvili refusing to vacate her office, opposition politicians boycotting parliament, and protests showing no signs of waning, the legitimacy of Kavelashvili’s election has been questioned from the start.
Georgia’s leading electoral watchdog, the International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy, stated: “Any decisions made by this illegitimate parliament, including the scheduling and holding of the presidential election, are unconstitutional and unlawful.”
Vakhtang Khmaladze, one of the authors of Georgia’s constitution, argued that all decisions made by the new parliament are null and void.
“Georgia is facing an unprecedented constitutional crisis,” Khmaladze remarked.
It remains uncertain how the government will react if Ms Zurabishvili refuses to resign after her successor is inaugurated on December 29.
Police have deployed tear gas and water cannons during more than two weeks of demonstrations, resulting in over 400 arrests, according to the Social Justice Centre, an NGO.
Yesterday, Amnesty International reported that protesters experienced “brutal dispersal tactics, arbitrary detention, and torture.”
There have also been raids on opposition party offices and arrests of their leaders.
As international criticism of the police crackdown grew, French President Emmanuel Macron urged Georgians that their “European dream must not be extinguished.”
Earlier this week, Mr Macron called Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, the tycoon widely regarded as Georgia’s real power broker.
His choice to call Mr Ivanishvili instead of Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze highlighted the West’s reluctance to recognize the legitimacy of Georgia’s new government.
The U.S. has imposed new sanctions on Georgian officials, barring around 20 individuals accused of “undermining democracy in Georgia,” including ministers and members of parliament.
