from Manchester City to preside over Georgia from the extreme right

Mikhail Kavelashvilian almost forgotten figure in the history of Manchester Cityhas re-emerged on the world stage, but this time not on the football field, but as the elected president of Georgia. At 53 years old, Kavelashvili will lead a country mired in political tensions and marked by protests against his government, accused of being too closely aligned with Russia.

In the 1995/96 season, Kavelashvili joined Manchester City from Dynamo Tbilisia move that seemed promising at the time. He was signed for two million pounds thanks to the recommendation of his compatriot and star of the team, Georgi Kinkladze. However, his days in premier League They were far from meeting expectations.

His debut, however, was memorable: he scored in a derby against Manchester Unitedtying the score at 1-1 after an early penalty from Eric Cantona. Although City lost 3-2, Kavelashvili’s goal marked a brief moment of hope for a team that would end up relegated that season.

In total, Kavelashvili scored just three goals in 29 games before being loaned to Grasshoppers of Zurich. There, his career took a more stable course: he won the Swiss Super League in 1998 and, after retiring in 2006, he accumulated 46 international matches with Georgia.

Political turn and rise to power

After hanging up his boots, Kavelashvili tried to continue in the world of football as president of the Georgian federation, but his candidacy was rejected for lacking a higher qualification. However, his foray into politics was more fruitful. In 2016, he became a deputy under the Georgian Dream partywhich has been noted for its proximity to Moscow.

Now, his transformation into the country’s elected president has caused a stir both inside and outside Georgia. Appointed by Georgian Dream, Kavelashvili was elected this Saturday in a parliamentary vote with 224 votes in favor and only one against, in a process boycotted by the opposition. This change in the electoral system – from universal suffrage to indirect voting – was implemented in 2017, giving the ruling party almost absolute control.

Despite the ceremonial nature of the position, the elections have not been without controversy. The current president, Salome Zurabishvilihas denounced the elections as illegitimate and has joined protests that criticize Russian influence and the government’s antidemocratic drift.

The streets of Tbilisi have been the scene of massive demonstrations against Kavelashvili and Georgian Dream. Opponents accuse the party of damaging the country’s aspirations to join the Union Europeanparticularly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. For his part, Kavelashvili has fueled the controversy with inflammatory statements, such as accusing the United States of “wanting to destroy” Georgia and denouncing an alleged Western conspiracy to “Ukrainize” the country.

The movement Can Popularfounded by the former soccer player after the war in Ukraine, has promoted laws against foreign influence and LGBTQ+ rights, earning criticism from both Western allies and human rights organizations. These positions have been compared to the repressive policies of Russiaincreasing suspicions about his loyalty to Georgian interests.

Between football and politics

Kavelashvili’s transition from football to politics is a reflection of the unexpected turns personal careers can take. During his time at Manchester City, he described his pride in representing his country, despite language barriers and adaptation difficulties. Some teammates, who today remember him in the English press, remember him as a hard-working and patriotic player, although not at the technical level of his compatriot Kinkladze.

But those days of struggle at the bottom of the Premier League now seem insignificant compared to his new reality as president of a deeply divided country. Despite criticism about his lack of academic training – he only has a coaching license obtained in Switzerland – he has risen to the top of political power in Georgia.

Kavelashvili’s term officially begins on December 29, amid a political crisis that threatens to escalate. Thousands of protesters denounce that Parliament, controlled by Georgian Dream, has “hijacked” the country’s institutions. Although his presidency is largely symbolic, the decisions he makes could have a lasting impact on the direction of Georgia, particularly its relations with the West and Russia.

Since his time as a striker in Maine road Until his current role as leader of Georgia, Kavelashvili has followed a path that is as unexpected as it is controversial. What remains to be seen is whether this former soccer player will be remembered as a symbol of change or as a figure who deepened divisions in his country.