Republic of Georgia: Mikheil Kavelashvili Sworn in as President

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Above: Mikheil Kavelashvili was sworn in as Georgia's sixth president at a ceremony in Tbilisi on Dec. 29, 2024. Image copyright: Georgian Parliament/Handout/Contributor/Anadolu via Getty Images

The Facts

  • As thousands of citizens protested in the capital Tbilisi, Mikheil Kavelashvili, a former footballer, was sworn in as Georgia's new president during a closed-door ceremony in parliament on Sunday.

  • Outgoing Pres. Salome Zourabichvili refused to step aside, declaring she remains the country's legitimate leader until fresh elections are held.

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The Spin

Narrative A

The Georgian Dream party won a fourth term in a free and fair election. The opposition is crying foul because it wants to drag the country into international conflicts led by Western powers. The government will not allow traitors to disturb Georgia's stability and peace.

Narrative B

Georgia is heading in the wrong direction. The government is an increasingly authoritarian regime steering the country away from its EU aspirations and toward Russia. The installation of Kavelashvili as president represents the final consolidation of power under the Georgian Dream's control.

Metaculus Prediction