Salome Zourabichvili Independent Mikheil Kavelashvili (disputed) People's Power Presidential elections were held in Georgia on 14 December 2024.

Salome Zourabichvili, along with opposition parties and some of the international community, continues to assert her recognition as the legitimate President of Georgia.

She supported the post-election opposition protests and asserted her intention to remain president until new parliamentary elections were held upon the expiration of her term in December 2024.

[26] On 26 September 2017, the Parliament of Georgia adopted the constitutional amendments, which went into effect in December 2018, after the inauguration of Salome Zourabichvili as President.

[34] On November 27, 2024, the ruling Georgian Dream nominated Mikheil Kavelashvili, a former footballer and co-founder of People’s Power, as its candidate for the Presidency of Georgia.

[35] Bidzina Ivanishvili, the party’s honorary chair, personally presented Kavelashvili as the nominee, emphasizing his distinguished career.

Ivanishvili highlighted Kavelashvili’s achievements as a footballer who represented Georgia with honor, playing for Dinamo Tbilisi, Alania Vladikavkaz, Manchester City, and top Swiss clubs.

He also described Kavelashvili’s habitus as embodying the ideal Georgian man, a principled patriot, devoted husband, and proud father of four.

Critics argue that the nomination discredits the country's democratic institutions, damages its relationships with the West, and label him as the "most prominent anti-Westerner."

Some have also questioned Kavelashvili's qualifications and education, accusing the ruling party of pushing a divisive agenda that risks further isolating Georgia from its Western allies.

Additionally, the opposition challenges the legitimacy of the parliamentary composition and the planned presidential election, with some describing it as unconstitutional and a betrayal of Georgian democratic traditions.

[40][41] In response to these critiques, Salome Zourabichvili condemned the planned election as "illegitimate" and "unconstitutional," calling it a "travesty" with "no connection to any political process."