Ex-Manchester City Player Poised to Become Georgia’s Next President

Mikheil Kavelashvili, backed by the ruling Georgian Dream party, is expected to secure the largely ceremonial role in a December 14 electoral college vote.

Mikheil Kavelashvili, a former Manchester City striker and anti-Western political figure, has been nominated for Georgia's presidency by the ruling Georgian Dream party.
The December 14 election will be decided by a 300-seat electoral college dominated by Georgian Dream, making Kavelashvili's victory highly likely.
Kavelashvili co-founded the far-right People’s Power party in 2022 and has supported laws curbing freedom of speech and LGBTQ+ rights, drawing comparisons to Russian policies.
The nomination follows disputed parliamentary elections in October, which opposition groups claim were rigged under Russian influence, leading to protests and a parliamentary boycott.
Outgoing President Salome Zourabichvili, a pro-European figure, has rejected the election results and criticized Georgian Dream for steering the country away from the European Union.