Ruling party picks Mikheil Kavelashvili for mostly ceremonial post in electoral college vote he is likely to win

The governing party in Georgia has picked a former Manchester City footballer as its as its candidate for president following a disputed victory in last month’s parliamentary election that has sparked protests.

The Georgian Dream party nominated Mikheil Kavelashvili, a 53-year-old former national team and Premier League player, for the mostly ceremonial presidential post on Wednesday. He is all but certain to win the 14 December vote by the electoral college controlled by the ruling party.

Georgian Dream retained control of the parliament in the 26 October election, widely seen as a referendum on the country’s effort to join the EU. The opposition said the vote was rigged under the influence of Russia seeking to keep Georgia in its orbit, and declared a boycott of parliament.

European election observers said the balloting took place in a “divisive” atmosphere marked by instances of bribery, double voting and physical violence.