Outgoing President Salome Zourabichvili has rejected Mikheil Kavelashvili’s legitimacy as Georgia’s new president, citing alleged irregularities in the election process
Tbilisi, Georgia (DT) – Mikheil Kavelashvili has been sworn in as the new president of Georgia amidst political turmoil and accusations of election fraud. A staunch critic of the West, Kavelashvili was elected by lawmakers following the October parliamentary elections.
His inauguration comes during a political crisis after the government froze European Union application talks, triggering widespread protests.
Outgoing President Salome Zourabichvili, a pro-EU opponent of the ruling party, has rejected Kavelashvili’s legitimacy, citing alleged irregularities in the election process. In a defiant speech to her supporters outside the presidential palace, Zourabichvili declared that while she would leave the residence, she still held the legitimacy of her office.
“I will come out of here and be with you,” she said. “I am taking legitimacy with me, I am taking the flag with me, I am taking your trust with me.” Zourabichvili, who remains popular among opposition parties, maintains that Kavelashvili’s election was flawed due to fraud in the parliamentary vote.
The opposition has rallied behind Zourabichvili, asserting that she is the legitimate president until new elections are held. Kavelashvili’s election, however, is backed by the Georgian Dream ruling party, which secured nearly 54 percent of the vote in the October elections. Both the ruling party and the country’s election commission have maintained that the election was free and fair.
International observers have raised concerns about the electoral process, with both local and international monitors pointing to violations that may have affected the results. Western nations have called for an investigation into the allegations.
Kavelashvili, a former professional soccer player who briefly played for Manchester City, has expressed strong anti-Western views, accusing Western intelligence agencies of trying to provoke conflict between Georgia and Russia. “The Georgian people have always understood that peace is the main prerequisite for survival and development,” he said following his swearing-in.
This standoff between Kavelashvili and Zourabichvili marks a significant moment in Georgia’s political trajectory. Once seen as one of the most democratic and pro-Western states in the former Soviet Union, Georgia is now deeply divided over its future direction.
The situation also comes amid growing criticism of the Georgian ruling party for its perceived shift away from the West and closer ties with Russia. In response, the United States imposed sanctions on Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the Georgian Dream party, accusing him of pushing Georgia towards an anti-Western stance.
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