**New President Elected in Georgia, but Legitimacy Questioned**
The newly elected president of Georgia, Mikheil Kavelashvili, has been denounced as “illegitimate” by Transparency International-Georgia. The organization claims that the election process was flawed and that Kavelashvili’s presidency lacks legitimacy under the current government.
**Constitutional Violations Cited**
TI-Georgia highlighted constitutional violations surrounding the parliamentary session that preceded the election. They noted that the session was convened without authorization from the President of Georgia, who had the sole authority to do so. The watchdog also pointed out that Parliament recognized the powers of its members, even though the legality of their election was challenged in the Constitutional Court.
**Call for New Elections**
TI-Georgia called on Bidzina Ivanishvili, the honorary chair and patron of the Georgian Dream (GD) party, to organize new elections under a reformed electoral administration. They also demanded the release of those illegally detained and the dropping of legal proceedings against them.
**Opposition Parties Condemn Election**
Opposition parties condemned the election even before it was held. On December 12, they accused Georgian Dream of orchestrating a “constitutional coup against citizens” by pushing forward Kavelashvili’s candidacy.
**International Observers Express Concern**
Several international partners have expressed concern over the ongoing political crisis in Georgia. They noted that President Salome Zurabishvili remains the only institutionally legitimate figure in the country and emphasized her role in leading Georgia towards its European Union integration goals.
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