Kakha Kaladze to run for Tbilisi Mayor for third term

The ruling Georgian Dream party has officially nominated Kakha Kaladze as its candidate for Mayor of Tbilisi in the upcoming municipal elections, marking his third consecutive bid for the capital’s top post.

Kaladze, a former football star and Georgia’s Minister of Energy, has served as Tbilisi mayor since 2017 and is currently finishing his second term.

The announcement follows brief speculation that the party might consider a different candidate. Just two days earlier, Georgian Dream MP Levan Makhashvili sparked discussion when he suggested that another nominee could potentially be introduced.

“The current mayor has expressed his willingness to run again, and the general attitude in the team toward Kaladze is clear,” Makhashvili said. “However, it would be preferable to wait for the formal procedures to conclude, as there is a possibility that a different candidate might be nominated.”

Makhashvili’s comments triggered public and political debate, prompting him to clarify that his words had been misunderstood.

Later that same day, Georgian Dream posted a message on its official Facebook page closely resembling the announcement it made when Kaladze was nominated in 2021—effectively confirming that he will once again be the party’s choice for mayor.