What to expect from Mikheil Kavelashvili's election as president of Georgia? – INTERVIEW

By Asif Aydinli

News.Az presents an interview with Middle East expert, iranologist Vasiko Papava.

– How do you assess the election of Georgia’s new president, Mikheil Kavelashvili? What changes might his election bring to Georgian politics?

– During the final years of Mikheil Saakashvili’s presidency, a decision was made to transition the country from a presidential to a parliamentary system of governance. The president’s powers were significantly reduced, turning the role into a largely ceremonial one, while the prime minister became the head of the executive branch.
Although the president lacks real tools to influence government decisions, the officeholder could create some difficulties for the government, such as by vetoing parliamentary legislation. In recent years, both Giorgi Margvelashvili and Salome Zourabichvili openly clashed with the ruling authorities during their presidencies. Notably, both candidates had been nominated by the ruling party, Georgian Dream, which secured their election as president.

While the president has no real levers of power, this institution can still play a positive role during crises, acting as a mediator between the government and the opposition. However, since neither Margvelashvili nor Zourabichvili "lived up to the expectations" of the ruling party, the election of Mikheil Kavelashvili as president by the parliament appears to be aimed at addressing this sensitive issue.

– Recently, French President Emmanuel Macron has shown notable attention to developments in Georgia. For instance, during the political crisis, he was the first Western leader to establish contact with the founder of Georgian Dream, Bidzina Ivanishvili. Later, Macron addressed the Georgian people, urging political forces to engage in dialogue. What, in your opinion, drives Macron’s interest in Georgian politics?

– France’s policy in the South Caucasus has become particularly active in recent years, especially after the end of the Second Karabakh War. Given Paris’ strained relations with both Ankara and Baku, France has sought to strengthen its ties with Armenia, using Georgia as a bridge in this endeavor.

Baku closely monitors France’s activities in the region, particularly its military cooperation with Armenia, which Azerbaijan perceives as an attempt to seek revenge for Armenia’s defeat in 2020.

To maintain uninterrupted ties with Armenia, French authorities are leveraging all available political and diplomatic tools to forge closer relations with the Georgian government. Previously, Salome Zourabichvili was the main conduit for France’s interests in Georgia. However, her overt support from Paris, especially amid deteriorating relations between her and the Georgian government, was perceived by the ruling Georgian Dream party as blatant interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state.

To mitigate this "unfavorable" episode in Georgian-French relations, President Macron decided to engage directly with Bidzina Ivanishvili and addressed the Georgian people, calling for political dialogue.

– Can it be said that the wave of protests in Georgia is subsiding?

– At this stage, the scale of protest actions has diminished, largely due to the upcoming New

Year preparations and internal reorganization within the opposition camp. Whether protests will gain momentum in the coming months and challenge the government will depend on a mix of internal and external factors.

Domestically, the authorities need to address pressing socio-economic issues at an accelerated pace and focus on establishing direct dialogue with leading opposition parties. On the foreign policy front, the government should intensify its engagement with major European countries that have interests in the region but do not seek to destabilize the situation or interfere in Georgia’s internal affairs.

News.Az