Former Manchester City striker Mikheil Kavelashvili has been appointed president of Georgia on Saturday by the country’s disputed parliament.
The 53-year-old, who is pro-Russian and a vocal critic of the European Union, takes office after the Georgian Dream party won a contentious election.
This came after a 17-day pro-EU protest swept across the European country. Two hundred and twenty-four out of 225 Georgia’s electoral college members voted Mr Kavelashvili on Saturday.
According to the BBC, Mr Kavelashvili, a former lawmaker, was the only candidate from the ruling Georgian Dream party.
Critics have accused Georgian Dream of becoming increasingly authoritarian and tilted towards Moscow.
Although four main opposition groups, including the People’s Power party, have rejected Mr Kavelashvili’s appointment, they have boycotted parliaments and insisted that the elections held in October be rigged.
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Georgia’s outgoing president, Salome Zourabichvili, has tagged the election a travesty, insisting she holds Georgia’s only remaining legitimate institution.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has accused Ms Zourabichvili of trying to harm Georgia’s interest, suggesting her retirement on December 29, 2024, when her administration comes to an end.
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