A former professional soccer player has been sworn in as the President of Georgia, causing protests to erupt in the capital.
Mikheil Kavelashvili was formally inaugurated on Sunday, a controversial move that comes in the middle of political turmoil in Georgia after the government froze European Union application talks following the election in October.
Kavelashvili, a former Manchester City player, is backed by the anti-EU ruling party Georgian Dream and is a staunch critic of the West.
He pledged to be "everyone's president, regardless of whether they like me or not".
In response, thousands of people protested in Tbilisi, the nation's capital.
The president is mostly a ceremonial position but the opposition says his governance will further damage Georgia's EU aspirations.
Four opposition parties firmly claim that the October election was fixed, with help from Russia, and outgoing pro-EU president Salome Zourabichvili refuses to step down, saying she is the only legitimate president and continuing to call for a recount of the ballot.
Addressing the protesting crowds in Tbilisi, she called the inauguration a "parody”.