the essential
Freshly appointed president of Georgia in the controversy this Saturday, December 14, Mikhail Kavelashvili is above all a former professional footballer. Having passed through Manchester City in particular, the Georgian continues his political rise that began in 2015.
Would having played for Manchester City be a criterion for becoming president? After George Weah, former president of Liberia, it is the Georgian Mikhail Kavelashvili who should occupy the position of president in his country.
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The former Manchester City striker was designated the new president of Georgia this Saturday, December 14 by an electoral college of elected officials, dominated by the Georgian Dream party, currently in the majority in Parliament after legislative elections following which the European Union denounced “irregularities”. Before the appointment of Kavelashvili to replace her, the current president Salomé Zourabichvili spoke of an “illegitimate” election and refused to leave her post before the organization of new legislative elections.
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After a football career that was not memorable – he played for Manchester City, FC Basel and even FC Zurich – the new president of Georgia entered politics from 2015, first trying to run for office. the presidency of the Georgian Football Federation. But the position eluded him, due to lack of higher education. Following this, he held the position of deputy for the first time from 2016, under the label of the Georgian Dream party, in power since 2012 and re-elected in 2020.
During his second term as deputy, he notably supported the so-called “foreign agents” law. This legislation provides that civil organizations and media, for which more than 20% of their funding comes from abroad, are considered “foreign agents”. A law very inspired by a text adopted in Russia in 2012. Kavelashvili is also known for his pro-Russian positions, positions which can explain his rapprochement with Bidzina Ivanishvili, billionaire founder of the Georgian Dream, who would govern the former Soviet republic in the shadow since 2012.
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Seen as a billionaire puppet by the pro-European opposition, Kavelashvili will have limited room for maneuver in his new, mainly honorary, post. According to Thorniké Gordadzé, former Minister of European Integration between 2010-2012, quoted by RFI, “Ivanishvili chose Mikhail Kavelashvili, because he does not have the skills, he is loyal to him and will not use the institution against him.” In particular, he could, if the government decides, sign the authorization to establish a state of emergency, and thus stifle the popular protest which has gained momentum since the legislative elections.
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