Georgia elects Kavelashvili amid protests and opposition boycott
The Electoral College elected Mikheil Kavelashvili as the president of Georgia on Saturday, as announced by the Central Election Commission (CEC). The 53-year-old politician and former soccer player was the sole candidate proposed by the ruling Georgian Dream party.
224 members of the Electoral College voted for Kavelashvili, which consists of 300 members, including parliamentarians and representatives of local authorities, as reported by Echo of the Caucasus (a branch of Radio Liberty).
According to the station's reports, representatives of opposition parties did not participate in the vote. At least two deputies of the Abkhazian People's Assembly also declined to participate in the election of the head of state.
For the first time, the president of Georgia was not elected by direct vote. Kavelashvili's inauguration is scheduled for December 29.
Protests in front of the parliament
Since dawn, an anti-government protest has been taking place in front of the parliament building. As the hours pass, the crowd is growing larger. Protesters carry banners with messages like: "Puppet President", "Not My President", along with Georgian and EU flags.
Around the parliament premises and the nearby Freedom Square, a police cordon and water cannons can be seen. Protesters have been provided with protective glasses, helmets, masks, and raincoats in case of a crackdown.
The majority, 211 of the Electoral College seats, are held by representatives of the ruling Georgian Dream party, while 69 belong to representatives of opposition parties. The remaining 20 are occupied by members of the Abkhazian People's Assembly, who have no party affiliation.
