TBILISI, July 30 – Georgia’s ruling Georgian Dream (Gd) party has announced that Kakha Kaladze will be its candidate for mayor of the capital Tbilisi.
The announcement was made via the party’s social media channels. An official presentation is expected on July 31.
Kaladze, a former professional footballer and energy minister, is running for a third term. He has served as Tbilisi’s mayor since 2017 and was re-elected in 2021. During his tenure, he has focused on infrastructure renewal and city beautification, though critics have pointed to persistent problems with traffic congestion and housing.
A prominent figure in GD, Kaladze has not been the party’s most outspoken figure in national politics, but has had a few verbal engagements with the opposition during a time when the governing elite has faced pressure from Western allies over election interference, civil society freedoms, violence against journalists and civic activists as well as rule of law commitments.
