new-president-of-georgia-to-be-elected-on-dec-14

Georgia has set December 14 as the date for its upcoming presidential election, as announced through a resolution approved by the country's Parliament. This decision follows a proposal by Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, which gained the support of 80 lawmakers during a session held earlier this week. The inauguration of the newly elected President is scheduled to take place on December 29.

 

This election marks a significant shift in Georgia's political system, as it will be the first time the President is chosen through an electoral college rather than a direct popular vote.

 

The 300-member electoral college will include members of Parliament and regional delegates, a departure from the tradition of citizens casting direct votes to elect their head of state.

 

The announcement of the election date comes against a backdrop of political unrest in the capital, Tbilisi. Protests have been ongoing since late October, with opposition parties and incumbent President Salome Zourabichvili rejecting the results of the parliamentary elections held last month.

 

Zourabichvili, who has been in office since 2018, has alleged that the elections were influenced by Russian interference. She also referred to the results as illegitimate, a sentiment echoed by opposition groups who have described the election process as “stolen.”

 

The protests erupted following the October 26 parliamentary elections, which saw the ruling Georgian Dream party secure an 89-seat majority in the 150-seat Parliament with 53.93 percent of the vote.

 

Despite the opposition's claims of irregularities, the newly elected lawmakers’ mandates were approved during the first session of Parliament earlier this week.

 

Zourabichvili's term as President is set to end on December 16. Her presidency, marked by controversy and tensions with the ruling party, has seen her often clash with Georgian Dream leaders on key policy issues.

 

Her criticism of alleged foreign interference in Georgia's political processes has further fueled tensions in an already polarized political climate.

 

The shift to an electoral college system for the presidential election aligns with Georgia's ongoing transition to a parliamentary system of governance.

 

The Georgian Dream party has defended this move as part of broader democratic reforms, though critics argue that it diminishes the role of public participation in electing the nation's leader.