Georgia’s governing party picks former soccer player as presidential candidate

Associated Press

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) — Georgia’s governing party has picked a former soccer player as its candidate for president following a disputed victory in last month’s parliamentary election that has sparked protests and led to an opposition boycott of parliament. The Georgian Dream party on Wednesday nominated Mikheil Kavelashvili, a 53-year old former national team and Premier League player, for the mostly ceremonial presidential post. He is all but certain to win the Dec. 14 vote by the electoral college controlled by the ruling party.