Mikheil Kavelashvili, a former footballer, is poised to assume the presidency of Georgia amid ongoing pro-European Union protests. The Georgian parliament finalized his appointment, with his official inauguration scheduled for December 29.
Kavelashvili, 53, previously played 46 matches for Georgia and was a striker for Manchester City in the English Premier League. Following his retirement from football, he transitioned into politics and served as a member of parliament with the ruling Georgian Dream party.
Despite being the sole candidate for the presidency, Kavelashvili faced rejection from four major opposition parties, which boycotted the parliament. Recent political unrest in Georgia has been fueled by tensions between pro-Russian government forces and pro-Western opposition, centered around the election process.
Unlike a general election, Kavelashvili was elected by a 300-member electoral college composed of parliament members and local officials, which favored his candidacy. Although he ran as an independent, he had support from the Georgian Dream party.
In addition to his career in the EPL, Kavelashvili played for several teams in the Swiss League. From 1995 to 1997, he scored three goals in 28 matches for Manchester City. He retired from international football in 2002, having scored nine goals for his country.
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