TBILISI, November 27. /TASS/. By naming MP Mikheil Kavelashvili as a presidential candidate, the ruling Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia party has chosen the complete opposite of incumbent head of state Salome Zourabichvili, political analyst and professor at the International Black Sea University Nika Chitadze told TASS.

"I think [Bidzina] Ivanishvili (the founder of Georgian Dream - TASS) has deliberately nominated an anti-Western person. He [Kavelashvili] is the polar opposite of Salome Zourabichvili. She has rich experience, as she held high positions in France," Chitadze said.

"You know, he [Kavelashvili] is a member of the anti-Western People's Power movement. I think Bidzina Ivanishvili needs a person who, after becoming president, will not renounce him and will stay loyal," the expert stated.

On Wednesday, Georgia's ruling party nominated Mikheil Kavelashvili as a candidate for the presidency. Born in 1971 in the city of Bolnisi, Kavelashvili is a former Soviet and Georgian footballer. During his career, he played for Dinamo Tbilisi, Alania Vladikavkaz, Manchester City in the UK, and Swiss clubs Grasshopper, Zurich, and Luzern. He also represented the Georgian national team. Since 2016, Kavelashvili has served as a member of parliament for the ruling party.

On November 26, the Georgian parliament approved the date of presidential elections for December 14 and inauguration for December 29. The Georgian president will, for the first time, be elected in a manner other than by universal and popular vote. A panel of 300 electors will choose the head of state. The collegium will include all 150 members of the Georgian parliament, representatives of the Supreme Councils of Adjara and Abkhazia, as well as members of local authorities. A group of at least 30 electors has the right to nominate its own presidential candidate. The opposition has not yet announced whether it will present its nominee. The Georgian Central Election Commission (CEC) will hold the election in the parliament building.

Incumbent President Salome Zourabichvili was elected in 2018 for a six-year term, an exception made through a direct vote by citizens. Going forward, presidents will serve a five-year term.