Who is the mayor-elect of Tbilisi?

The ruling Georgian Dream candidate Kakha Kaladze has won Tbilisi mayoral elections, according to the preliminary data from the Central Election Commission (CEC).

The CEC preliminary results say that Kaladze received 51.1 percent of total votes.

• See also: Preliminary results: Kaladze wins Tbilisi mayoral race

Below is everything you might want to know about the new mayor-elect of Tbilisi.

Before being named mayoral candidate for the ruling Georgian Dream party, Kakha Kaladze held the post of Georgia’s vice prime minister and energy minister.

Kaladze, a retired football star, joined the Georgian Dream prior to the 2012 parliamentary elections where the newly created opposition party defeated the nine-year rule of the United National Movement. Immediately after the elections in October of 2012, Kaladze was appointed as vice prime minister and energy minister and held the position for almost five years.

Kaladze, 31, headed the election headquarters for the Georgian Dream during the 2014 municipal elections and the parliamentary elections of 2016; the party won both of these votes.

Before entering into politics, Kaladze had a successful, 20-year football career. In 2001, he became the most expensive Georgian player for whom football club Milan paid €16 million. He stayed in Milan for nine years, and simultaneously captained the Georgian national team. He has been named the best Georgian player of the year for a record five times.

Kaladze is married with three children. He also has a dog that is featured in his election campaign in various clips and posters.

His top campaign promises were:

• Solving of social problems
• Protecting the environment
• Protecting the historic part of Tbilisi
• Regulating traffic issues
• Regulating parking
• Developing public transport, including new metro lines

At today’s press conference, Kaladze said that he will take over his role as Tbilisi mayor from mid-November.

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