53-year-old former Manchester City footballer Mikheil Kavelashvili has turn out to be the brand new president of Georgia.
Mikheil Kavelashvili was chosen as Georgia’s president on Saturday by a 300-seat constituency, which changed direct presidential elections in 2017 and is presently dominated by his social gathering, Georgian Dream.
It was a simple victory for Kavelashvili, 53, who was the one candidate on the poll. While constitutional modifications in Georgia have made the president’s job largely ceremonial, it means a tightening of the maintain of the Georgian Dream in what the opposition has referred to as a blow to the nation’s European aspirations and a victory for Russia.
It was an unlikely path to the presidency for Kavelashvili, who emerged from the youth ranks of Dinamo Tbilisi as a promising younger footballer in 1989. He went on to construct a profitable profession as a striker, changing into a daily for the native staff earlier than transferring to Russia. Spartak Vladikavkaz staff in 1995.
He later moved to English staff Manchester City for 2 seasons earlier than enjoying for a number of Swiss Super League groups and retiring in 2006. During his enjoying profession, he made 46 appearances for the Georgian nationwide staff and scored 9 targets.
Just 10 years after his retirement from soccer, he was elected to the Georgian parliament in 2016 on the Georgian Dream ticket. In 2022, he co-founded the political motion People’s Power, which was allied with the Georgian Dream and have become identified for its robust anti-Western rhetoric.
Kavelashvili was usually mocked by the Georgian opposition for his lack of upper schooling. On the day of his election as president, protesters outdoors the parliament constructing carried their college diplomas, whereas others kicked soccer balls.
Kavelashvili was one of many authors of a controversial legislation requiring organizations that obtain greater than 20% of their funding from overseas to register as “pursuing the pursuits of a international energy”, just like a Russian legislation used to discredit vital organizations in the direction of the federal government.
Speaking in parliament after his appointment in November, Kavelashvili mentioned that “our society is split,” arguing that “radicalization and polarization” within the nation are fueled from overseas.
He accused outgoing pro-Western President Zourabichvili, who he mentioned would refuse to depart his place till new elections had been held, of violating the structure and declared he would “restore the presidency inside its constitutional framework.”
