Rumors circulated this past week that Irakli Kobakhidze, the prime minister of the self-proclaimed government, was on the verge of stepping down. Similar rumors were spread about Irakli Garibashvili, the former prime minister now serving as Georgian Dream’s chairman. These speculations followed a phone call between French President Emmanuel Macron and Bidzina Ivanishvili, the informal leader of the Georgian Dream party. Amidst these developments, the Georgian people continued to flood the streets in protest—in Tbilisi and across the country—demanding new and fair elections, the resumption of accession talks with the European Union, and support and sanctions from Western allies.
The protests drew participation from various professional groups, including IT workers, winemakers, marketing professionals, and many others. Notably, even a significant number of members of the administration voiced their dissent against the policies of the self-proclaimed government, highlighting the widening cracks within the governing system. In fact, the scale of yesterday’s demonstrations was so extensive that they effectively paralyzed the streets of the capital.
Today, December 14, a new president was scheduled to be elected, as the term of the current president is about to expire. However, while the illegitimate parliament convened behind closed doors to elect a former football player with no recognizable credentials, Salome Zourabichvili—the current and legitimate president—was out on the streets. She greeted and supported the protesters, once again assuring them that she would not abandon the people.
