Support of the President of Georgia for the Leader of the Ruling Party for the Prime Minister Position

One day after the resignation of the Prime Minister of Georgia, the German news agency reports from Tbilisi, the capital, that the President of the country has supported the leader of the ruling party for the prime minister position. Giorgi Kvirikashvili, the Prime Minister of Georgia, resigned on Wednesday, June 13, following public protests and disagreements with the leader of the ruling party. According to the Georgian constitution, following the resignation of the Prime Minister, the entire cabinet of the country is dissolved. Reuters described the resignation of the head of government in Georgia as a 'disagreement with the leader of the ruling party.' Bidzina Ivanishvili, the leader of the ruling party 'Georgian Dream,' who is also the richest person in the country, was referenced in the interview where the Prime Minister announced his resignation. Mr. Kvirikashvili, who had been Prime Minister since 2015, announced in a television interview on Wednesday that he was resigning due to 'some disagreements with the party leader.' However, in recent weeks, accusations of 'economic and financial mismanagement' have also fueled public discontent, leading to protests and strikes in the capital of Georgia. According to the Georgian constitution, it is now the responsibility of the leader of the ruling party to submit a list of new cabinet members to the President within a week. The President then has one week to approve this list and send it back to the Georgian Parliament for final approval. The German news agency reported on Thursday that the President has expressed support for Bidzina Ivanishvili, the leader of the ruling party and billionaire, for the position of Prime Minister. Bidzina Ivanishvili formed the 'Georgian Dream' coalition in 2012 and defeated Mikheil Saakashvili's party in October of the same year, gaining a majority of seats in Parliament. Mr. Ivanishvili stepped down from the position of Prime Minister and party leadership in 2013, but Reuters quotes his critics as saying that he continues to lead the country from behind the scenes.