Micheil Kavelashvili has been elected as Georgia’s president by the electoral college, following a constitutional change preventing citizens from voting directly. The electoral college is mainly composed of members from the pro-Russian ruling party Georgian Dream, which won the parliamentary elections late October, sparking protests.
The opposition and observers suspect election fraud. The European Parliament has requested that the EU candidate member holds new elections within a year.
Current president Salome Zourabichvili does not recognize the parliamentary election results and refuses to resign. Her term officially ends on Monday, but she aims to block Kavelashvili’s inauguration on December 29, demanding new elections under international supervision to prevent fraud.
Since October, protests have been frequent in Georgia, with citizens opposing the election results. Recent demonstrations in Tbilisi saw thousands protesting.
Protesters launched fireworks at the parliament building, and riot police responded with water cannons. Demonstrations intensified after Georgian Dream announced a delay in EU accession talks until 2028, resulting in hundreds of arrests.
Source: NOS