She studied under a number of well-known French professors, such as historians Jean-Baptiste Duroselle, Louis Chevalier, her cousin Hélène Carrère d'Encausse and the international lawyer Suzanne Bastid, the latter two being the only women teaching at Sciences Po.

[13] In a letter of recommendation by Sciences Po Secretary-General René Henry-Gréard, the latter described her as a student who, despite her "shyness", possessed "exceptional qualities" and predicted a great future for her.

[13] She joined Columbia University in 1972–1973 where Zbigniew Brzezinski, at the time director of the Trilateral Commission, trained her on Soviet politics and Cold War diplomacy.

Since October 2007, her party was part of the United Opposition alliance, which nominated Zourabichvili as a Prospective Prime Minister in case of their candidate Levan Gachechiladze's victory in the January 2008 presidential election.

[53] On 26 January 2021, Zourabichvili met with Toivo Klaar, Co-Chair of the Geneva International Talks, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus and the Crisis in Georgia.

Popular opinion in Georgia hardened against Russia in the wake of the February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, and on 3 March together with Moldova the country made a formal application to the EU for membership.

"[55] During an interview with DW News in May 2022, Zourabichvili stated that Georgia was in full compliance with the international financial sanctions on Russia and wanted a "quicker and shorter path towards integration" into NATO and the EU.

[68] Ahead of 2024 parliamentary elections, Shalva Papuashvili, the speaker of parliament, announced that lawmakers from the Georgian Dream party planned to move forward with impeaching Zourabichvili for a second time.

[69] Sozar Subari, leader of the Georgian Dream satellite party People’s Power, told the media that impeachment should serve as a symbolic act when the president violates the Constitution.

[71] Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Zourabichvili increasingly distanced herself from the ruling Georgian Dream party, which faced mounting criticism for its perceived pro-Russian policies.

She has consistently opposed controversial domestic legislation targeting civil society, independent media, and the LGBTQ+ community, vetoing such laws despite her limited success in preventing their enactment.

[72] In 2023, the Georgian Dream-led government attempted to impeach Zourabichvili, accusing her of conducting “unilateral, unauthorized, and unconstitutional” visits to European capitals to advocate for Georgia’s EU membership.

She argued that the government, once committed to democracy and EU integration, had devolved into a one-party rule, with dissent suppressed and judicial reforms stalled.

Despite the mounting threats of impeachment and efforts to undermine her, Zourabichvili maintained her focus on EU integration, asserting that Georgia stood at a critical crossroads, similar to its struggle for independence.

In December 2023, the European Union granted Georgia candidate status but emphasized the need for key policy reforms to progress further in the membership process.

In April 2024, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze publicly denounced Zourabichvili as a "traitor" after she voiced support for mass protests opposing a controversial law.

[76] The legislation required civil society organizations and media outlets receiving 20% or more of their funding from foreign sources to register as “organizations serving the interest of a foreign power.” Critics, dubbing it the “Russian law” due to its similarities to Russian legislation, argued it undermined Georgia’s EU aspirations and reflected a worrying shift toward Moscow's influence.

In May 2024, she played a key role in facilitating the signing of the Georgian Charter, a political document uniting opposition groups in their commitment to support an interim government following the October parliamentary elections.

She emphasized the Charter as an action plan to ensure Georgia’s EU integration, prevent a return to Russian influence, and secure the country’s progress.

While noting broad support among political forces, she highlighted differing interpretations of a Charter point requiring her to propose the government responsible for its implementation.

On the anniversary of Russia’s 2008 invasion of Georgia, U.S. President Joe Biden expressed solidarity with Zourabichvili and criticized the Georgian government’s actions, which he deemed inconsistent with EU and NATO standards.

[83] During a press conference on 27 October 2024, Zourabichvili declared that the elections could not be recognized, equating recognition of the results to accepting Georgia’s subordination to Russia.

She emphasized that Georgia’s European future could not be compromised and called the election results a “total falsification,” describing the process as a Russian special operation.

Zourabichvili appealed to international allies to support the pro-Western opposition[84] and urged citizens to join her in mass protests at Tbilisi’s Freedom Square on Rustaveli Avenue to oppose the election results and what she characterized as Russian influence.

She refused to cooperate, stating, “It’s not the President’s role to provide evidence already visible to the public.” Zourabichvili referenced reports and footage from NGOs, observers, and citizens, which she believed clearly demonstrated systemic election fraud.

During her time in Paris, Zourabichvili also held discussions with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy about the ongoing situation in Georgia.

[92] On 27 December, U.S. Republican Congressman and Chairman of the Helsinki Commission, Joe Wilson, extended an invitation to Zourabichvili, recognizing her as the sole legitimate leader of Georgia, to attend the inauguration of Donald Trump.

[95][96] On 9 January 2025, Zourabichvili held a press briefing at her new office on Chovelidze street, stating that she would continue to work to solve the crisis, meeting people around Georgia and internationally.

[109] Zourabichvili refused to sign or veto the controversial "queer propaganda" law passed by parliament on 17 September 2024, which drew criticism from civil society and international partners for restricting rights and freedoms.

[110][111] In the course of the 2008 Georgian presidential election, Zourabichvili and many other opposition politicians voiced support for the establishment of a constitutional monarchy under the Bagrationi dynasty, which the Patriarch of Georgia, Ilia II, had advocated.