This is a complete list of the Presidents of Georgia since the establishment of the office in 1991:
No. | Name | Term(s) | Political Party |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Zviad Gamsakhurdia | 1991 - 1992 | Round Table-Free Georgia |
2 | Eduard Shevardnadze | 1995 - 2003 | Union of Citizens of Georgia |
3 | Nino Burjanadze (Acting) | Nov 23, 2003 - Jan 25, 2004 | Independent |
4 | Mikheil Saakashvili | 2004 - 07; 2008 - 13 | United National Movement |
5 | Giorgi Margvelashvili | 2013 - 2018 | Independent |
6 | Salome Zurabishvili | 2018 - Present | Independent (backed by Georgian Dream) |
Who Was The First President OF Georgia?
The first president of Georgia was Zviad Gamsakhurdia. He became president after Georgia gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.
On May 26, 1991, Gamsakhurdia was elected nationwide, making him Georgia’s first democratically elected leader. However, Gamsakhurdia’s time as president did not last long.
Less than a year after taking office, he was ousted in a military coup on January 6, 1992. Despite being removed from power, he continued to see himself as the rightful president and worked to regain his position.
Sadly, he died on December 31, 1993, while trying to return to power. After Gamsakhurdia was removed, Eduard Shevardnadze, a well-known Soviet-era politician, came back to Georgia in 1992.
He led the country for many years. In 1995, after adopting a new constitution, Shevardnadze was elected president and re-elected in 2000. His time as president ended in 2003 during mass protests known as the Rose Revolution, and he resigned.
Following Shevardnadze’s resignation, Nino Burjanadze, who was the chairperson of the parliament, served briefly as acting president.
On January 4, 2004, Mikheil Saakashvili, who led the Rose Revolution, was elected president. Saakashvili was re-elected in 2008 but resigned early in 2013. Giorgi Margvelashvili succeeded him and served until 2018.
Former Georgian President Shevardnadze
Eduard Shevardnadze was an important person in both Soviet and Georgian history. He was born on January 25, 1928, in a small village in Georgia.
His family lived in a rural area, and his parents wanted him to become a doctor. However, when he was 20 years old, he joined the Communist Party and started his political career.
Shevardnadze quickly moved up in the Communist Party in Georgia. By 1972, he became the head of the Communist Party in Georgia, making him the top leader in the region.
In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev appointed him as the foreign minister of the Soviet Union. As foreign minister, Shevardnadze played a key part in important changes in the Soviet Union.He helped with the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan and worked on arms control agreements.
He was known for his charm and ability to work well with people from different backgrounds. This helped improve relations with Western countries.
Despite his success, Shevardnadze faced challenges in Moscow. He resigned in 1990 because he was worried that the Soviet government was moving away from reform.
After the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, he returned to Georgia and became the leader of the country. In 1992, he took charge during a difficult time marked by civil war and political instability.
Shevardnadze was president of Georgia from 1995 to 2003. During his presidency, he faced many problems. His government struggled with corruption and economic difficulties.
In 2003, protests broke out over allegations of election fraud, leading to the Rose Revolution. This peaceful uprising forced Shevardnadze to resign on November 23, 2003.
After leaving office, Shevardnadze lived a quiet life in Tbilisi, mostly away from the public eye. He passed away on July 7, 2014, after a long illness.
Who Is The Current President Of Georgia Country?
The current president of Georgia is Salome Zourabichvili. Salome Zourabichvili has been the president since December 16, 2018.
She is the first woman to ever be president in Georgia’s history. Salome Zourabichvili was born on March 18, 1952, in Paris, France.
Her family left Georgia as political refugees. She has a strong background in diplomacy, having worked for many years in the French diplomatic service.
Later, she became the Ambassador of France to Georgia. In 2004, Salome Zourabichvili accepted Georgian citizenship.
She then became the Foreign Minister of Georgia. While in this role, she helped negotiate the withdrawal of Russian forces from parts of Georgia.
Zourabichvili ran for president as an independent candidate. She won the election and became president. Her presidency is important because, starting in 2024, the way the president is elected will change.
A parliamentary electoral college will choose future presidents. So, Salome Zourabichvili will be the last president to be elected directly by the people.