An electoral college dominated by the ruling party in Georgia appointed far-right loyalist Mikheil Kavelashvili as head of state on Saturday, during a vote boycotted by the opposition which risks accentuating the political crisis in this Caucasian country.
Known for his diatribes against critics of power, Mr. Kavelashvili was officially the only candidate because the opposition refused to sit in Parliament and did not nominate anyone for these essentially symbolic functions.
The current head of state, the pro-Western Salomé Zourabichvili, deemed this election illegal and said that she would refuse to give up her mandate until new legislative elections had been organized.
“Over the years, certain forces, particularly external ones, have exploited the presidential institution to divide society,” Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze told journalists after the vote.
“Under the presidency of Mikheïl Kavelashvili, it will regain its constitutional mission and its dignity,” he assured.
This former Soviet republic has been experiencing unrest since the party that leads it, Georgian Dream, claimed victory in the October 26 legislative elections – described as rigged by the opposition – and the government decided at the end of November to suspend until 2028 any EU accession negotiations.
A decision causing demonstrations every evening in Tbilisi by thousands of people accusing the government of wanting to put Georgia back into Moscow’s orbit.
– Soccer balls –
On Saturday, new rallies of opponents, organized by different groups, took place peacefully in the capital.
In front of Parliament, Georgians, mostly young people, passed footballs to mock Mikheil Kavelashvili, who is a former professional footballer.
Others older brought their diplomas to emphasize that the new president-elect did not have one.
“Georgia never loses its sense of humor,” commented Salomé Zourabichvili on social networks, saying that the vote had been “a parody of democracy”.
When the president’s appointment was announced, Giorgi Tsamalachvili, 21, continued to play football in front of Parliament. The procedure is “illegitimate”, this student told AFP, because, before that, the October legislative elections had been “falsified”.
Aged 53, Mr. Kavelashvili is accused by protesters of being a puppet of billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, who made his fortune in Russia, founded the Georgian Dream party and has ruled Georgia from behind the scenes since 2012.
– Christmas tree –
The waltz of the soccer balls contrasts with the violent clashes which marked the first ten days of the demonstration movement, during which more than 400 protesters were arrested.
The evening was, however, marked by renewed tension in front of Parliament.
In fact, the lighting of a giant Christmas tree was initially planned by the mayor of the capital Kakha Kaladzé, another ex-international footballer who is also a member of Georgian Dream. What the thousands of demonstrators present saw as a provocation given the context. They then booed, whistled and called the ruling party officials “slaves”.
Several dozen of them held up photos of alleged victims of police violence.
Acclaimed during this rally, Salomé Zourabichvili called for “new elections” which, according to her, are “essential to obtain peace and justice” in Georgia.
“This is what we are here for – calmly, quietly and without commotion,” she added.
Mayor Kakha Kaladzé finally announced the postponement of the illumination due to the “radical opposition”, according to him, present on site.
A cordon of riot police then prevented supporters of the Georgian Dream party, supposedly present for the inauguration, and pro-EU demonstrators from being able to confront each other on the avenue.
The postponement of the illumination is “a small victory” because it shows that the power in place “cannot do everything as it wants”, commented to AFP Irina Matchavariani, who demonstrated with her mother.
Lasha Kvlividze, a 22-year-old student, hopes that the “ruling party will go away” after seeing the opponents “demonstrate here again”.
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