Micheil Kavelasjvili, known for his extreme views on LGBTQ+ issues and inflammatory rhetoric against opposition members, has been nominated as president by the ruling party in Georgia. Critics perceive this move as an indication of the government’s alignment with pro-Russian sentiments and view Kavelasjvili as a puppet of Bidzina Ivanishvili, the influential leader of the Georgian Dream party, who is believed to control the political landscape behind the scenes.