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Jennifer Mathers, Senior Lecturer in International Politics, Aberystwyth University

Georgia: how a former Manchester City footballer will shift the nation’s politics further towards Russia

Mikheil Kavelashvili is due to be inaugurated as Georgia’s new president on December 29. The former Manchester City footballer has represented the ruling Georgian Dream party in parliament since 2016.

During its time in office, Georgian Dream has moved the country away from engagement with the EU, and closer to Russia.

Georgian Dream has been in power since 2012. It is backed by the considerable financial resources of its founder, Bidzina Ivanishvili, who made his fortune in Russia and has extensive ties there. During that time, it has overseen increasingly harsh repression of Georgia’s independent media and brutal responses to ongoing popular protests.

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