Thousands of people are protesting on the eve of political conflict in Georgia

Four main opposition groups rejected Kavelashvili and boycotted the parliament.

It is not yet clear how the conflict will be resolved.

Protesters waving Georgian and EU flags formed a human chain that stretched for kilometers on Saturday.

One of the protestors told the Associated Press: “I, along with my whole family, are trying to somehow tear this small country from the clutches of the Russian empire.”

Georgian Dream has become increasingly authoritarian in recent years, passing Russian-style laws targeting foreign-funded media and non-governmental groups and the LGBT community.

He has refused to join Western sanctions against Russia following its large-scale invasion of Ukraine and has mocked his aim to join the EU and NATO, calling the West a “global warlord”.

The vast majority of Georgians support the country’s path to the EU, and this is part of the constitution.

However, in November, the country’s ruling party announced that the government would not pursue EU membership negotiations until 2028.

The announcement sparked days of protests and riot police used tear gas and water cannons against protesters who resisted by throwing fireworks and stones.

USA this week imposed sanctions About the billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, former Prime Minister of Georgia and founder of “Georgian Dream”.

Georgia is a parliamentary democracy, the president is the head of the state, and the prime minister is the head of the parliament.

Current President Zurabishvili assessed the election of Kavelashvili – under the electoral college system where he was the only candidate – as a fraud.

Georgian Dream backed Zurabishvili when he became president in 2018, but has since denounced their disputed election victory in late October as a “special operation by Russia” and backed pro-EU protests outside parliament at night.

Zurabishvili promised not to resign on Sunday.

The government says he will be committing a crime if he refuses to step down.