Georgian ruling party nominates ex-football player for president

Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream party on Wednesday announced Mikheil Kavelashvili, a former parliamentary deputy and professional football player, as its candidate for president in an election due to be held on December 14.

The announcement comes following a disputed victory in last month’s parliamentary election that has sparked protests and led to an opposition boycott of parliament.

Kavelashvili’s nomination was announced by Georgian Dream’s honorary Chairman Bidzina Ivanishvili in a briefing at party headquarters in the capital Tbilisi after a meeting of its political council.

The lawmaker’s nomination was declared a day after Georgia’s parliament voted to hold the country’s presidential election on December 14.

Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said the president’s inauguration would be held on December 29.

For the first time, Georgia’s president will be elected by a 300-member college of electors, approved by the country’s Central Election Commission, rather than through a direct vote.

The current president Salome Zourabichvili, a former French national, and opposition parties, have refused to accept the parliamentary election results that gave the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party a thumping majority.

The opposition alleges Russian interference in the vote and has called for nationwide protests.

Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of Georgian Dream dismissed claims of electoral fraud, describing any “irregularities” as typical for elections elsewhere in the world.