Lawmakers in Georgia voted on Tuesday to approve Georgi Kvirikashvili as the ex-Soviet state's new prime minister, an appointment widely seen as an attempt to boost the ruling coalition's flagging popularity amid an economic slump.
The vote took place after Irakli Garibashvili unexpectedly resigned as prime minister last week without giving a specific reason for his decision. Kvirikashvili, his replacement, was previously foreign minister.
Opposition politicians and analysts linked the switch to a decline in the popularity of the ruling Georgian Dream party, saying it wanted to overhaul its image before contesting a parliamentary election in October next year.