Candidates for presidency

Georgia is getting ready for yet another election, this time the voters will elect a new president. No parties have nominated candidates for the presidency so far. In May this year, the final decision should be made. Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili did not mention the name of the possible candidate during his recent press conference, which he has presumably already determined. However, the PM promised he would name the candidate by the end of May.

Ivanishvili mentioned several possible names for the presidency during the last year and a half. At first it was Defense Minister Irakli Alasania, later it was MP Vakhtang Khmaladze, but it is unlikely that either of these two people would be named as a presidential candidate. Rumors have surfaced recently that the Georgian Dream Coalition will nominate Armaz Akhvlediani as its presidential candidate. This assertion is supported by the fact that he was appointed as an Executive Secretary of the ruling coalition.

It should be mentioned that the search for the presidential candidates in still underway in the Georgian Dream. Many people think that the person nominated personally by PM Ivanishvili has the greatest chance to become the next president.

This possibility creates controversies – tastes differ and it is difficult to choose a person who will be acceptable for everybody within the coalition. Analysts also say that the future president would be from the Georgian Dream party not another member of the coalition. As Ivanishvili said, the future president should be a well-known person for public, with high morals and not necessarily with a political past or public personality. Some even suggest that famous Georgian classical singer Paata Burtchuladze could be among the candidates.

Ivanishvili said he will not make the decision solely and the selection of the candidates will be carried out in a collegial way among the coalition member parties.