Georgia’s saviour. Russia’s stooge. Philanthropist. Oligarch. Bidzina Ivanishvili has been called all these things, and more.
The billionaire, Georgia’s richest person and the founder of its ruling party, is seldom seen in public and, of late, almost exclusively behind bulletproof glass. Yet his presence looms large over this small European country caught between Russia and the West, and an election that could shape its destiny.
Ivanishvili can gaze down on downtown Tbilisi from a massive steel-and-glass clifftop mansion that rears about 60 metres over the capital, complete with helipad. He indulges in exotic passions like keeping sharks and zebras, and collecting rare trees.
The 68-year-old is viewed by many friends and foes alike as Georgia’s most powerful figure, or eminence grise, even though he hasn’t held public office for over a decade. He has cast Saturday’s election as an existential fight to prevent a “Global War Party” in the West from pushing Georgia into a ruinous conflict with former overlord Russia like he says it did with Ukraine.
“Georgia and Ukraine were not allowed to join Nato and were left outside,” he said in a rare public appearance at a progovernment rally in Tbilisi on 29 April. “All such decisions are made by the Global War Party, which has a decisive influence on Nato and the European Union and which only sees Georgia and Ukraine as cannon fodder.”
While most of Georgia’s 3.7 million people are keen to move closer to the West by joining the EU and Nato, and largely don’t trust Russia, opinion polls show, Ivanishvili’s message resounds with many who want to avoid Ukraine’s fate at all costs. Memories are fresh of a 2008 war with Russia over the Moscowbacked breakaway regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which lasted five days and ended in Georgia’s defeat.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Tackling the darker side of England's finest moment
It should have been a night of celebration. As they gathered together at the Dorchester Hotel, Sir Clive Woodward's heroes of 2003 were meant to commemorate a World Cup triumph that still represents the acme of English men’s rugby. But, as Matt Dawson explains, there was a strange atmosphere in the room. As he caught up with his colleagues two decades on from reaching the mountaintop, what became clear was just how many were struggling on the other side.
New generation gather pace amid England inconsistency
Are England good? Consistently inconsistent across the whole of 2024, it is anyone's guess where England's true mean lies. But in a year where they have waved goodbye to Stuart Broad, Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow and James Anderson, a new generation has officially emerged.
Ashes to Ashworth: inside the Man U power struggle
Departure of sporting director after five months shows the soap opera at Old Trafford has just got itself a new storyline
Slot downplays the obvious: Liverpool are Europe's best
If Jurgen Klopp turned mantras into catchphrases and viceversa, Arne Slot has a less memorable way with words. Klopp talked of mentality monsters, of turning doubters into believers, of their identity being intensity, of Liverpool 2.0.
EU requires more than just honeyed words from Reeves
Labour keeps talking about 'resetting' our relationship with Europe but then turning down chances to advance, writes James Moore. It's time they actually did something concrete
Understanding the life and tragic death of Sam Cooke
The lingering conspiracies surrounding the soulful Sixties crooner threaten to overshadow a life of music and civil rights activism, writes Mark Beaumont, not to mention a voice that would influence Otis Redding and Tina Turner
BAH. HUMBUG
It may seem Scrooge-like but, as overconsumption runs wild, refusing to buy pointless Christmas presents is more radical political act than cost-cutting exercise, argues Helen Coffey
BATTLE OF THE BEIGE
As one social media star sues another for stealing her clean girl’ aesthetic, Rachel Richardson looks at a legal fight that has the potential to change the landscape of influencers
GCSE English is dying, this is how we bring it back to life
Pearson, one of the three leading exam boards in the UK, has warned that urgent reform at GSCE level is needed. If English (as a subject) is to survive at both A-Level and higher education, it needs to be less pale, male and stale.
The last thing civil servants need is to babysit tech bros
There is a deep irony in a government that has kept making the same sort of mistakes now lecturing its civil servants who have to deal with the consequences) that they should adopt the test-and-learn culture” of the best digital companies and first-class” government projects.
