Georgia PM names loyalist minister, 31, as successor

Tbilisi (AFP) - Billionaire Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili on Saturday picked his 31-year-old minister and protege to replace him as premier as the ex-Soviet state makes the transition to a parliamentary republic.

Set to become Georgia's youngest ever prime minister, Irakli Garibashvili -- a political unknown until he was named interior minister in October 2012 -- has worked for Ivanishvili for most of the past decade.

Even though he is set to step down formally later this month, Ivanishvili's Georgian Dream coalition will retain control of the government, parliament and presidency after another loyalist won a crushing victory at presidential polls last week.

Ivanishvili's youthful Paris-educated protege will oversee Georgia's transition to a parliamentary republic as constitutional changes will shift many key powers from the president to the premier.

"Our team unanimously supported Irakli Garibashvili's candidacy," Ivanishvili told reporters in the capital Tbilisi.

"Georgia will have a very worthy prime minister.?

Garibashvili will take over on November 24 after being confirmed by parliament, where his coalition holds a majority, following the inauguration of a new president.

"I want to thank Bidzina Ivanishvili for the trust he has shown in me. I promise that I will continue his path," Garibashvili said, standing on a podium next to his mentor.

The soft-spoken graduate in international relations from the Sorbonne University in Paris has headed Ivanishvili's charitable foundation and worked at his bank and his rap star son's record label.

Opponents blasted the choice, saying Garibashvili is not up to the job of overseeing Georgia's switch to a parliamentary system.

"Garibashvili is simply not the right fit for the prime minister's job. He lacks basic skills and experience," said Giorgi Baramidze, a lawmaker from Saakashvili's UNM party.

"Ivanishvili has only chosen him for his personal loyalty."

Remaining in control?

Ivanishvili has said he has achieved everything he wanted to since defeating arch-foe Saakashvili?s party in parliamentary elections last year.

Another of his allies, political novice Giorgi Margvelashvili is set to succeed Ivanishvili's arch foe, pro-Western president Mikheil Saakashvili, who has to step down as his second and final term expires.

Ivanishvili has said he intends to move into civil society after leaving office and denies claims that he will continue to call the shots.

But his influence will remain inescapable and having him as the unaccountable power behind the throne could be "extremely dangerous" for the country?s fragile democracy, said George Mchedlishvili, a Caucasus expert at London-based Chatham House.

"The new leadership has to learn how to behave independently, and it will take them time and effort to move out of Ivanishvili?s shadow."

However, analysts said, Ivanishvili may struggle to control Georgia's notoriously volatile political system.

"He is not a natural politician ? and is quite open about that," said Thomas de Waal, an associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

"That suggests to me he will not be good at masterminding decisions from backstage, even if he wants to."

Ivanishvili?s time in charge has seen a fraught year-long political cohabitation with Saakashvili, with the arrests of a string of the outgoing president's top allies causing concern among Western allies.

Ivanishvili?s government has faced criticism for failing to live up to many of its promises, with the economy flat-lining and infrastructure projects stalling.

Ivanishvili was a shadowy figure whom few in Georgia had ever seen before he entered politics in 2011 after accusing Saakashvili of turning the country into an authoritarian state.

Saakashvili transformed Georgia during his decade in power, ramming through reforms to slash corruption, renovate infrastructure and kickstart the devastated economy.

But the reforms angered many who felt excluded by the breakneck pace of change, and the use of police force to brutally put down protests against his rule tarnished Saakashvili?s image as a crusading democrat.

Ivanishvili has pledged the next government will press on with plans to join the European Union and NATO, key ambitions of Saakashvili?s that enraged Russia.

The new prime minister looks set to continue Ivanishvili?s attempts to improve ties with Russia, which have been in tatters since the two countries fought a brief war in 2008 that saw Georgia lose two breakaway regions.

Garibashvili will also face a tough task boosting the Caucasus nation?s flagging economy.