The Georgian Dream is holding presidential elections in an illegitimate parliament. The vote is taking place amid protests and the mobilization of police forces outside the legislative body.
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For the first time in the history of independent Georgia, only one candidate is running for president. The Georgian Dream has nominated former football player and MP Mikheil Kavelashvili, who does not have a higher education, as its candidate.
Some citizens gathered at a rally in front of the parliament building with diplomas and balloons. According to one of the participants, this performance was a protest against the message sent by the “illegitimate government” to the youth - that education has no value.
Representatives from opposition unions that overcame barriers in the parliamentary elections were also present at the rally. According to Levan Tsutskiridze, one of the leaders of Strong Georgia, the president elected by the Georgian Dream will not have legitimacy.
“The Georgian people are still offering Bidzina Ivanishvili’s party a political solution to the crisis - calling for new elections. While there is still time, they should accept this proposal and call new elections. Otherwise, this crisis will not be resolved,” Tsutskiridze told the media.
The sixth president of Georgia will be elected indirectly by the electoral college. Voting began at 09:00 and will end at 14:00. Afterward, the Central Election Commission will announce the results.
The electoral college consists of 300 members: 150 members of parliament, all 21 members of the Supreme Representative Body of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, 20 members of the Supreme Representative Body of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, and 109 members of the Sakrebulos.
Of the 109 members from local self-government bodies, the Georgian Dream nominated 54 members, and eight opposition parties nominated 55. Since the opposition did not appoint members from municipal councils to the electoral college, Georgian Dream filled the 55 seats designated for them, which is why Georgian Dream has 211 members in the electoral college.
The elections were boycotted by the deputies of the Supreme Council of the Abkhazian Autonomous Republic, including the former chairman of the council, Temur Mzhavia, and Zurab Jguburia.
A majority of the electoral college, at least 151 members, is required to hold elections, while at least 200 votes are needed to elect the president. The president elected by the electoral college will serve a five-year term.
Mikheil Kavelashvili's inauguration is scheduled for December 29. Formally, this will be the day the country’s fifth president, Salome Zourabichvili, steps down. She has stated that she remains the legitimate president and her “mandate continues until there is a legitimately elected parliament that will legitimately elect” her successor.
