Amid protests, political turmoil, Georgia's outgoing pro-EU President refuses to step aside

Salome Zourabichvili’s term as Georgia’s president officially ends on Sunday (December 29), but the pro-Western leader insists she will not leave office, defying an inauguration planned for far-right politician Mikheil Kavelashvili.

On Saturday (December 28), Zourabichvili joined thousands of protesters forming human chains across the country to reject Kavelashvili’s installation, a move she and the opposition claim is the result of a rigged election.

“This election and hence the inauguration of the president is not valid,” Zourabichvili said Friday (December 27) on The Rest Is Politics podcast, POLITICO reported. “I remain president, and I continue to do my job — that is what everybody has to know.”

The crisis sparked by contested election

Kavelashvili, a former footballer and candidate for the ruling Georgian Dream party, was the sole contender in a controversial presidential election conducted through an electoral college. Opposition parties boycotted the vote, alleging the process was manipulated by Georgian Dream, which has been accused of increasingly authoritarian tendencies.

The opposition and Zourabichvili have refused to acknowledge the election results, which the European Parliament declared unfair in a resolution calling for a rerun. Efforts to sanction Georgian Dream officials were blocked by Hungary and Slovakia, deepening the crisis.

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The protests began after the October 26 parliamentary election, in which Georgian Dream claimed a landslide victory, and escalated further when the government suspended negotiations for European Union membership.

Threats and international reactions

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze issued a stark warning to Zourabichvili, threatening legal action if she refuses to vacate the presidency. “Let’s see where she ends up, behind bars or outside,” Kobakhidze said last week, POLITICO reported.

Meanwhile, US officials have taken steps against the ruling party. On Friday, the US sanctioned Bidzina Ivanishvili, the chairman of Georgian Dream, accusing him of undermining Georgia’s democratic and Euro-Atlantic aspirations in favor of Russian interests.

In a symbolic show of support, US Congressman Joe Wilson invited Zourabichvili to attend the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump, calling her “the only legitimate leader in Georgia.”

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Deepening political crisis

Kavelashvili’s planned inauguration on Sunday threatens to deepen divisions in the South Caucasus nation, where protests have spread nationwide. Opposition leaders and demonstrators continue to demand fair elections and Georgia’s alignment with Western institutions.

“This is a fight for Georgia’s democratic future and sovereignty,” said one protester in Tbilisi. “We will not allow our country to fall under authoritarian control.”

With tensions at a boiling point, Georgia’s political and economic future hangs in the balance, as international allies urge dialogue and a resolution to the ongoing crisis.

With inputs from agencies