Georgia President Refuses to Resign Amid Crisis

Georgian President Salome Zurabishvili has declared that she will not resign despite the expiration of her mandate, asserting that the newly elected parliament is illegitimate and thus cannot elect a new president. In her televised address, she emphasized that her mandate continues until a legitimate parliament is established, which would then be able to conduct a valid election. This statement comes amid widespread protests in Georgia against the ruling Georgian Dream party, which has been accused of electoral fraud and suspending the country's European integration efforts. Zurabishvili's presidency is set against a backdrop of significant political unrest, with citizens demanding re-elections following the controversial parliamentary elections held on October 26. The situation has escalated as the ruling party prepares to elect her successor on December 14, raising tensions regarding the legitimacy of the political process.