What to know about Georgian presidential candidate Mikheil Kavelashvili

Georgian presidential candidate Mikheil Kavelashvili leads the People’s Power party, known for its anti-Western sentiments, Sputnik Georgia writes.

Mikheil Kavelashvili was born on July 22, 1971 in Bolnisi. In 1989, he entered the Department of Economics of Tbilisi State University. From 1988 to 1995, he played for Dinamo Tbilisi, then moved to Alania Vladikavkaz. He also played for Manchester City, Grasshoppers, and other European clubs.

Since 2016, he has been a member of the Parliament of Georgia from the Georgian Dream party. In June 2022, Kavelashvili, along with several MPs, left Georgian Dream to freely express their opinions without putting the country’s ruling party in a bad position. They founded the public organization People’s Power and later a party of the same name known for its anti-Western sentiments.

People’s Power has repeatedly accused the US Embassy and former Ambassador Kelly Degnan of wanting to open a “second front” in Georgia, overthrow the Georgian Dream, and bring the United National Movement back to power, as well as funding certain NGOs, the opposition, and the media in Georgia.