Incredible, the former Manchester City who was elected as the new head of state in his country

Mikheil Kavelashvili, known for his career as a professional footballer with clubs like Manchester City, has been elected president of Georgia. The vote, carried out by a 300-seat electoral college dominated by his Georgian Dream party, marks a new chapter in the former player’s journey as he steps into a politically divided nation.

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Although the presidency in Georgia has largely symbolic powers following constitutional changes in 2017, Kavelashvili’s election consolidates Georgian Dream’s grip on power. Opposition leaders have criticized the outcome, calling it a setback to Georgia’s European aspirations and a victory for Russia.

Kavelashvili’s path to the presidency is far from conventional. He began his career as a promising young player for Dinamo Tbilisi in 1989, moving on to Spartak Vladikavkaz, Manchester City, and several Swiss clubs before retiring in 2006. He represented Georgia 46 times internationally, scoring 9 goals.

A decade after leaving football, Kavelashvili entered politics. He was elected to Georgia’s Parliament in 2016 under the Georgian Dream banner and later co-founded the political movement People’s Power, known for its strong anti-Western rhetoric. Among his most controversial initiatives is a law requiring organizations receiving more than 20% of their funding from abroad to register as foreign agents, a measure likened to Russian policies used to suppress government critics.

During his election, Tbilisi’s streets saw protests. Demonstrators mockingly displayed university diplomas to highlight Kavelashvili’s lack of higher education, while others kicked footballs in a symbolic gesture of disapproval.

In his acceptance speech, Kavelashvili pledged to address societal divisions, although he attributed the polarization to foreign influences. His presidency raises questions about Georgia’s political direction, particularly regarding its relationship with the European Union.