Georgia MPs elect anti-West president amid protests

TBILISI - Georgian lawmakers elected Mr. Mikheil Kavelashvili, a hardline critic of the West, as president on Dec. 14, setting him up to replace a pro-Western incumbent amid major protests against the government over a halt in November to the country's European Union accession talks.

The ruling Georgian Dream party's move to freeze the EU accession process until 2028—abruptly halting a longstanding national goal that is written into the country's Constitution—has provoked widespread anger in Georgia, where opinion polls show that seeking EU membership is overwhelmingly popular.

Mr. Kavelashvili, a former professional soccer player, has strongly anti-Western, often conspiratorial views.

In public speeches in 2024, he has repeatedly alleged that Western intelligence agencies are seeking to drive Georgia into a war with Russia, which ruled Georgia for 200 years until 1991.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in light snowfall outside Parliament ahead of the presidential vote. Some played soccer in the street and waved red cards at the Parliament building, a mocking reference to Mr. Kavelashvili's sporting career.

Protester Vezi Kokhodze described the vote as "treason" against what he said was Georgians' desire to integrate with the West.

"Today's election represents the clear wish of the system to bring Georgia back to its Soviet roots," he said.