Georgian lawmakers have voted in far-right former soccer star Mikheil Kavelashvili as next president of Georgia, amid mounting popular anger over the government’s halt to EU accession talks.

The vote, boycotted by opposition parties in Parliament, sets up a standoff with the sitting president and deepens turmoil in the country after protests and a disputed election.

Kavelashvili, 53, who was the only candidate on the ballot, easily won the vote given the Georgian Dream party’s control of a 300-seat electoral college that replaced direct presidential elections in 2017.

Former soccer player Mikheil Kavelashvili has become president of Georgia as the ruling party tightens its grip in what the opposition calls a blow to the country’s EU aspirations and a victory for Ru

Georgian lawmakers elected Mikheil Kavelashvili, a hardline critic of the West, as president on Saturday, setting him up to replace a pro-Western incumbent amid major protests against the government over a halt to the country’s European Union accession talks last month.

By Felix Light TBILISI (Reuters) -Georgian lawmakers elected Mikheil Kavelashvili, a hardline critic of the West, as president on Saturday, setting him up to replace a pro-Western incumbent amid major protests against the government over a halt to the country’s European Union accession talks last month.

Ex-soccer player Mikheil Kavelashvili becomes Georgia's president as the ruling party consolidates power.