Salome Zourabichvili’s role as president was largely marked by symbolism and limited power.
However, she has recently emerged as the face of nationwide anti-government, pro-EU protests, which she defines as “a resistance movement against the European Union”. [the] “Pro-Russian government.”
For almost a month, thousands of Georgians have taken to the streets in the capital, Tbilisi, and across the country to express their anger over the disputed October election results and the government’s decision to suspend EU integration. Chanting “Russians” and “slaves”, protesters endured freezing temperatures, water cannons, tear gas and brutal police action.
With the dramatic authoritarian turn of the ruling Georgian Dream party, pro-Western Georgians see Zourabichvili as the last glimmer of hope.
So who is he, and what is his potential ending?
From French diplomat to Georgian president
Salome Zourabichvili was born in Paris in 1952 to a family of Georgian political immigrants. His family fled the Georgian Democratic Republic in 1921 when Moscow’s army entered Tbilisi to annex the sovereign nation into the Soviet Empire.
After graduating from the top schools of Paris and New York, Zourabichvili was destined for high office. For more than 30 years, he devoted himself to French diplomacy, with postings in the United States, Italy, and Chad, before returning to his historic homeland, where he served as France’s ambassador to Georgia.
In 2004, by mutual agreement between the presidents of France and Georgia, she became the Foreign Minister of Georgia. During his tenure, Zourabichvili signed important agreements with NATO and the European Union and negotiated the partial withdrawal of Russian troops from Georgian territory.
How did Zourabichvili go from a loyalist to an enemy of the Georgian Dream?
Zourabichvili was once seen as a Georgian Dream party loyalist.
Some experts believe that Bidzina Ivanishvili, founder of the Georgian Dream party and a billionaire who made his fortune in Russia in the 1990s, helped him win the presidential race.
Zia Khukhashvili, a former adviser to Ivanishvili, said, “The greatest credit for his presidency goes to Ivanishvili. And because of this, he turned a blind eye to some trends in the first years of his mandate. But he had red lines.” , told DW.
The dynamics between Zourabichvili and Georgian Dream changed as the party’s geopolitical U-turn away from the West amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine became more pronounced. The country – with more than 80% of its population consistently supporting EU integration – is now increasingly aligning its policies with Moscow.
Khukhashvili said, “He faced a choice: his personal obligation to Ivanishvili or his values, which are democratic. He chose to remain true to himself and to the European future of his country.”
Georgian Dream has positioned itself as the only party avoiding another war with Russia, its neighbor that already occupies parts of the country.
Alleged fraud and called for new elections
The standoff reached a new level following disputed parliamentary elections in October and the government’s announcement that it would suspend EU accession talks. Zourabichvili, opposition parties and civil society groups accused the government of rigging the election and called it “illegitimate”.
The final report of the OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission raised similar concerns about the “independence of institutions” and “voter pressure”.
“Many of the issues noted in our final report negatively impacted the integrity of these elections and undermined public confidence in the process,” it said in a statement issued on December 20.
Zourabichvili said, “There must be new, free and fair elections. This cannot be compromised.”
Despite calls for an international investigation, the Georgian Dream party has vehemently denied that violations affected the outcome of the election, and accused the president and opposition parties of failing to accept defeat.
The party went ahead and unilaterally elected a new president on 14 December. Former Manchester City football star Mikhail Kavelashvili, known for his fiery anti-Western rhetoric and enthusiasm for spreading conspiracy theories, is now set to become the next president of Georgia.
How have Western countries responded?
While some Western countries have called for an independent investigation into alleged election fraud and condemned the post-election violent crackdown, the EU’s response has been seen as slow. However, the US and the Baltic states have imposed sanctions against some Georgian Dream party officials to crack down on the protests.
On Friday, the US State Department sanctioned Ivanishvili, the main force behind the ruling Georgian Dream party, for “undermining Georgia’s democratic and Euro-Atlantic future for the benefit of the Russian Federation.”
Bidzina Lebanidze, an analyst at the Georgian Institute of Politics, told DW that the West’s response will likely depend on the “scale and longevity” of the ongoing protests.
However, some experts suggest that Western countries may eventually accept the reality on the ground and recognize the legitimacy of the ruling party.
“Signs of this were already demonstrated by the visit of Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Burset to Georgia, who seemed willing to cooperate in some way with the Georgian Dream government,” Nino Khelaia, a political scientist in Tbilisi, told DW.
What’s next for Zourabichvili?
“I am here, and I will stay here because this country urgently needs a legitimate institution,” Zourabichvili said in a recent public address, implying that other state institutions have been “captured” by the ruling party. .
Some experts have said that Zourabichvili has a unique independent position “to channel public discontent” from Georgian Dream and the opposition. Nevertheless, questions remain whether she can make the transition from a “symbolic figure” to an “active opposition leader”.
Lebanonidze said, “Protesters urgently need strong political leadership, and Zourabichvili’s hesitation to fully embrace this role risks weakening the movement at a critical juncture.”
“We will see where she will continue to live, behind bars or out,” Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said last week, suggesting that “sending 72-year-old Zourabichvili to prison may not be desirable for anyone.”
A showdown is expected on 29 December when Zourabichvili must leave office for his successor. She has not clarified whether she will physically leave Rashtrapati Bhavan or not, but has promised to stake claim to the presidency and stay in the country.
In his almost daily address to the public on Tuesday, he once again emphasized his commitment.
“This Constitution has been crushed, but it has endured, just as Georgia endures. I can only continue to serve it and remain loyal to it.”
Edited by: Rob Mudge
