The ruling Georgian Dream Party in Georgia has nominated former football player and member of parliament Mikheil Kavelashvili as its candidate for the presidential election to be held on December 14.
The political council convened at the head office of the Georgian Dream Party in the capital Tbilisi.
Making a statement after the meeting, businessman and Georgian Dream Party Founding Honorary President Bidzina Ivanishvili said that they came together to determine the presidential candidate.
Reminding that the election will be held on December 14, according to the decision announced by the parliament, Ivanishvili stated that the president will be determined by an election board consisting of 300 people for the first time in the country’s history.
Noting that 150 deputies from the parliament will be included in the election board, Ivanishvili argued that since they have the majority in the parliament, the candidate supported by the ruling party will win the election.
Stating that the political council of the party decided to nominate former football player and member of parliament Kaveleşavili as the presidential candidate, Ivanishvili emphasized that this person is a successful athlete and politician.
Accusing current President Salome Zurabishvili of “betraying his country and violating the constitution”, Ivanishvili said, “There is no doubt that Mikheil Kavelashvili will be at the service of the Georgian state and Georgian people, not a foreign power, and will contribute to the progress and success of our country.” he said.
In his speech, Kavelashvili pointed out that polarization in Georgian society was increasing and that he would make efforts to unite the society and protect the interests of the country.
SPORTS AND POLITICS EXPERIENCE
Born on July 22, 1971, in Bolnisi, Georgia, Kavelashvili started his education at the Faculty of Economics of Tbilisi State University in 1989.
Kavelashvili, who started his sports career as a football player in 1990, played for football clubs in Georgia, England, Switzerland and Russia until 2006.
Kavelashvili, who played for the Georgian National Football Team between 1992 and 2002, entered the parliament as a member of parliament from the Georgian Dream Party in 2016.
Kavelashvili, who was elected as a member of parliament from the same party in 2020, left the Georgian Dream Party on June 28, 2022 and founded the People’s Power Party with other MPs.
THE ELECTION BOARD OF 300 PEOPLE WILL ELECT THE PRESIDENT FOR THE FIRST TIME
The Georgian Parliament decided on the date of the presidential election yesterday. Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili had said that the new president would be elected for 5 years.
Papuashvili stated that for the first time in the history of the country, the president will be elected by an election board consisting of 300 people, and that the board will consist of 150 deputies, members of Georgia’s Abkhazia Supreme Council and Adjara Supreme Council, and representatives from all municipalities in the country.
Stating that according to the constitution, a candidate must receive two-thirds of the votes to be elected president, Papuashvili announced that if the candidate does not receive enough votes, the second round of the election will be held on the same day.
Current President Zurabishvili was elected the 5th and first female president of Georgia on November 28, 2018.
According to the amendments made to the Georgian Constitution in 2017, starting from 2024, the president will be elected by an election board of 300 people.
(AA)