Georgia’s President Condemns Successor’s Appointment as Mockery of Democracy
Following the October parliamentary elections, which were widely criticized as neither free nor fair, Georgia’s electoral college appointed Mikheil Kavelashvili, a hardline critic of the West, as the next president. Incumbent President Salome Zourabichvili denounced the election as a “mockery of democracy,” rejecting the results and claiming the parliament lacks legitimacy to choose her successor. Zourabichvili, who has clashed repeatedly with the ruling Georgian Dream party, vows to remain president, citing concerns about the party’s pro-Russia stance and increasing authoritarianism. Opposition parties also support Zourabichvili’s claim of continued legitimacy.
John Q. Hosedrinker