Georgia's presidential election sparks protests near parliament
Photo: In Georgia, for the first time, the president will be elected by the electoral college, not the people (Getty Images)
On December 14, 2024, Georgia's electoral college will choose the country's president. Protesters, who do not recognize the legitimacy of these elections, are already gathering near the parliament building, reports Sova.
The publication writes that, for the first time this year, the president will not be elected by the population but by the electoral college. The college is expected to consist of 300 members. To elect the president, a two-thirds majority of the full college is required — at least 200 members.
The college includes 150 members of parliament, 20 members of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Ajara, 20 members of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, and 109 representatives from local government bodies.
According to reports, only one candidate, Mikheil Kavelashvili, will be nominated for the presidency. Voting will begin at 9:00 AM (Tbilisi time) and continue until 2:00 PM at the parliament building in Tbilisi.
Sova reports that protesters are accompanying the lawmakers who will vote, chanting "Slaves" and "Russians." Meanwhile, the Georgian parliament has implemented a yellow security level. Only electoral college members and those invited by relevant structural units are allowed inside the building.
"Law enforcement officers have been mobilized around the perimeter, and water cannons have been deployed in the square," Sova added.
