**Georgia’s President Warns of Authoritarian Regime**
The president of Georgia, Salome Zourabichvili, has warned that the country is slipping into an authoritarian regime. She made this statement as the parliament elected a new president, Mikheil Kavelashvili.
Kavelashvili is a former football player and member of the ruling Georgian Dream party. The opposition parties do not recognize him as legitimate president. They claim that he was chosen by a corrupt electoral process and that the current parliament is illegitimate.
**Protests Continue**
The opposition, along with many citizens, have been protesting against Georgian Dream’s victory in the parliamentary elections. They accuse the party of widespread electoral fraud. Protests continued outside parliament on December 14, 2024, as Kavelashvili was elected president.
**Opposition Fears Loss of Democracy**
The opposition fears that Kavelashvili will be a puppet president loyal to Georgian Dream and its founder, Bidzina Ivanishvili. They worry that this will lead to the party’s complete control over the government and push Georgia towards Russia.
**Current President Refuses to Step Down**
President Zourabichvili has refused to step down despite being at the end of her term. She says she will continue to serve as president because the current parliament is illegitimate. The opposition sees her as an independent voice resisting Georgian Dream’s pro–Russian policies.
**Protesters Demand New Elections**
The protesters are demanding new elections under international oversight. They claim that 15% of Georgian Dream’s votes were stolen during the last election. An analysis by a leading elections watchdog, ISFED, has also backed up these claims.
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