Georgian Dream nominates football player and outspoken critic of the West for president

Georgian Dream has nominated Mikheil Kavelashvili, a former Georgian football player, and member of the People’s Power faction of the ruling party as their candidate for president.

Bidzina Ivanishvili, the billionaire founder and honorary chair of the ruling Georgian Dream, announced the decision on Wednesday morning after a meeting with the party.

‘He is, by his nature and, if you will, even by his habitus, the finest embodiment of the Georgian man’, Ivanishvili said.

For the first time in Georgia, the president will be elected, in mid-December, by an electoral college rather than by popular vote.

Georgian Dream will enjoy a ruling majority in the 300-member electoral college, which comprises the 150 members of parliament, with the remaining seats allocated to local councillors and representatives from the Supreme Council of Abkhazia and the Supreme Council of Adjara. 

After highlighting Mikheil Kavelashvili’s football career with clubs such as Dinamo Tbilisi, Spartak Vladikavkaz, and Manchester City, Bidzina Ivanishvili noted that Kavelashvili ‘has made a significant contribution to protecting Georgia’s national interests and strengthening the country’s sovereignty, especially in recent years.’

After being presented by Ivanishvili, Kavelashvili vowed to ‘do everything to unite Georgian society around our national interests, our national identity, our values, and the idea of Georgia’s independence.’

Kavelashvili entered politics as an MP for Georgian Dream in 2016. He was among those with the sharpest words for Georgia’s Western partners over their criticism of the ruling party’s anti-democratic steps and lack of institutional reforms. Kavelashvili  was also among the authors of Georgia’s Foreign Agent Law.

In 2022, Kavelashvili formally departed from Georgian Dream to co-found People’s Power alongside others. While continuing to express support to the ruling party, the group pledged to voice more explicit opposition to the West than Georgian Dream itself, which appeared cautious about alienating its pro-Western base.

After accepting the nomination, Kavelashvili did not miss the chance on Wednesday to criticise outgoing president Salome Zourabichvili, a former ally of Georgian Dream who has become one of its fiercest critics.

‘I am fully aware of the immense responsibility that comes with the position of President of Georgia, especially considering that the current president has insulted and disregarded our primary document — the Constitution of Georgia — and continues to violate it to this day’, Kavelashvili said while standing next to Georgian Dream leaders, including Ivanishvili in the party office in Tbilisi.

The ruling party has said they plan to inaugurate a new president on 29 December.