The recent appointment of former footballer Mikheil Kavelashvili as Georgia’s president highlights the deepening crisis of democracy in the country. Chosen through indirect elections by a parliament whose legitimacy is already under question due to allegations of widespread electoral fraud in the October 2024 elections, Kavelashvili’s appointment has been widely criticized as a farce. Backed by Bidzina Ivanishvili, Georgia’s shadowy oligarch and de facto ruler, the process lacked any semblance of genuine competition, with Kavelashvili running as the sole candidate.
The appointment comes amid ongoing street protests, with citizens decrying the erosion of democratic norms, a U-turn from EU integration, and the growing authoritarian tendencies of the ruling elite. Kavelashvili is widely viewed as a figurehead, likely to act on behalf of Ivanishvili rather than independently. This deepens public frustration in a country that once served as a regional model for democratic and Euro-Atlantic aspirations. Protesters’ demands for new parliamentary elections and a return to the country’s EU integration course—something favored by more than 80% of the population—so far remain unaddressed. The government’s heavy-handed tactics against protesters risk further alienating both the Georgian people and international allies. Without significant change, Kavelashvili’s presidency may come to symbolize the entrenchment of Russian-style oligarchic governance rather than a step toward democratic renewal.
Commentary by Ketevan Bolkvadze
