Georgia swore in a new president on Sunday amid ongoing political turmoil and pro-European protests.
Mikheil Kavelachvili, a former footballer known for his ultraconservative and anti-Western views, took the oath of office in Parliament on Sunday morning. He succeeds Salome Zurabishvili, who supported the protests. Kavelachvili was elected on 14 December by an electoral college controlled by the ruling Georgian Dream party.
"Our history clearly shows that after countless struggles to defend our homeland and traditions, peace has always been one of the main objectives and values of the Georgian people," Kavelachvili said in his speech. He positioned his faction as a bulwark against the West, which he claims seeks to drag Georgia into the Russia-Ukraine war.
Kavelachvili also called for respect for "our traditions, values, national identity, the sanctity of the family and faith."
Outgoing leader the 'only legitimate president'
Just moments earlier, outgoing President Zurabishvili announced her departure from the presidential palace, declaring herself still the "only legitimate president" and vowing to continue the fight.
At least 2,000 people gathered outside the building on Sunday morning, chanting "Georgia" and "Salome", according to AFP journalists.
Georgia, a former Soviet republic in the Caucasus, has been in turmoil since the parliamentary elections on 26 October. The Georgian Dream party, in power since 2012, claimed victory, but the pro-Western opposition alleged widespread fraud. The opposition, their street supporters and Zurabishvili are calling for new elections.
The situation escalated further on 28 November when Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced the postponement of Georgia’s EU integration efforts until 2028. This sparked daily pro-European protests, drawing thousands of participants.
The ruling Georgian Dream party denies any electoral fraud and accuses the opposition of attempting a foreign-funded revolution.
