Mikail Kavelashvili wins Georgia's presidential election

December 14, 2024 – Mikail Kavelashvili has been declared the winner of Georgia’s presidential election. The 53-year-old former footballer is known for his extreme right-wing views, including strong opposition to the West and the LGBT community.

Kavelashvili's victory was secured through an electoral college dominated by the ruling "Georgian Dream" party. Following the announcement, protests erupted around the Georgian Parliament in Tbilisi, with opposition supporters gathering to voice their discontent. The area surrounding the Parliament building was barricaded, and traffic was blocked as tensions rose.

The protests are a continuation of those sparked by the controversial parliamentary elections, which both the opposition and the current president claim were manipulated. Authorities have responded with force, arresting hundreds of protesters over the past two weeks in an attempt to quell the unrest.