Athletes without a University Education: What is known about Georgia's new President Mikheil Kavelashvili.

Mikheil Kavelashvili was elected Georgia's new president in the first round of voting. 224 deputies supported him. Kavelashvili, a former football player, was the only candidate for this position, although the opposition and the incumbent president did not recognize the elections.

"A better embodiment of the Georgian man in his nature, if you will," characterized Mikheil Kavelashvili the founder and honorary chairman of the ruling party, businessman Bidzina Ivanishvili.

Ivanishvili explained that the decision to nominate Kavelashvili was unanimously made by the ruling team and that the new president will "restore the dignity that was temporarily taken away from the office of the president".

Played Football in Russia

Kavelashvili was a well-known football player from Georgia. He won championship titles in Georgia and Russia and played for Manchester City as well as for Swiss teams.

Compared to the experienced diplomat Salome Zourabichvili, Kavelashvili was controversial regarding his competency and education.

A Person Without Education

Media reported that there are no data about Kavelashvili's education on the parliament's website biography. In 2015, he could not run for the position of president of the Georgian Football Federation because he lacked a diploma.

The opposition described Kavelashvili's nomination for president as "an insult to the Georgian people" and "a disgrace". Representatives of Kavelashvili's new party stated that a university education is not necessary to fulfill the duties of a president.

Founded a Party that is "the Main Voice of Anti-Western Propaganda in Georgia"

In 2016, Kavelashvili became a deputy of the "Georgian Dream" party. In 2022, he founded his own party "Power of the People", which is known as the main voice of anti-Western propaganda.

He accused the opposition of acting as a "fifth column", being part of foreign powers, and called Zourabichvili a "main agent". Deputies from his party were the initiators of a law similar to the Russian "Foreign Agents Law". This law led to persecution and repression in Russia.

Although the bill was rejected, the ruling party initiated it again and passed it.

Kavelashvili considers his party a healthy opposition, while other opposition parties view it as "radical opposition funded by foreign powers".

Salome Zourabichvili refused to recognize the election results in which Kavelashvili won.

Voting for Kavelashvili as the president of the country took place in Georgia's electoral college.