Georgia lawmakers elect anti-Western former soccer player as president

Georgian lawmakers elected Mikheil Kavelashvili, a hardline critic of the West, as president on Saturday, setting him up to replace a pro-Western incumbent amid major protests against the government over a halt to the country’s European Union accession talks last month.The ruling Georgian Dream party’s move to freeze the EU accession process until 2028, abruptly halting a long-standing national goal that is written into the country’s constitution, has provoked widespread anger in Georgia, where opinion polls show that seeking EU membership is overwhelmingly popular.Kavelashvili, a former professional soccer player, has strongly anti-Western, often conspiratorial views.In public speeches this year, he has repeatedly alleged that Western intelligence agencies are seeking to drive Georgia into war with Russia, which ruled Georgia for 200 years until 1991.Hundreds of protesters gathered in light snowfall outside parliament ahead of the presidential vote.

Some played soccer in the street outside and waved red cards at the parliament building, a mocking reference to Kavelashvili’s sporting career.Protester Vezi Kokhodze described the vote as “treason” against what he said was Georgians’ desire to integrate with the West.“Today’s election represents the clear wish of the system to bring Georgia back to its Soviet roots,” he said.Georgian presidents are picked by a college of electors composed of MPs and representatives of local government.Of 225 electors present, 224 voted for Kavelashvili, who was the only candidate nominated.All opposition parties have boycotted parliament since an October election in which official results gave Georgian Dream almost 54% of the vote, but which the opposition say was fraudulent.Kavelashvili was nominated for the mostly ceremonial presidency last month by Bidzina Ivanishvili, a billionaire ex-prime minister who is widely seen as the country’s paramount leader and has moved to deepen ties with neighbouring Russia,...