Former Manchester City player Mikheil Kavelashvili became president of Georgia on Saturday.
Kavelashvili, 53, was the only candidate on the ballot and easily won the vote given the Georgian Dream party’s control of a 300-seat electoral college that replaced direct presidential elections in 2017. It is made up of members of Parliament, municipal councils and regional legislatures.
Georgian Dream retained control of Parliament in the South Caucasus nation in an Oct. 26 election.
Georgia’s outgoing president and main pro-Western parties have since boycotted parliamentary sessions and demanded a rerun of the ballot amid allegations the election was rigged with Russia’s help.
Georgian Dream has vowed to continue pushing toward EU accession but also wants to “reset” ties with Russia.
In 2008 Russia fought a brief war with Georgia, which led to Moscow’s recognition of two breakaway regions as independent and an increase in the Russian military presence in South Ossetia and Abkhazia.