Georgian parliament approves ruling party nominee Kobakhidze as new PM

Candidate for the post of Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze delivers a speech at a parliamentary session in Tbilisi, Georgia February 8, 2024. REUTERS/Irakli Gedenidze

TBILISI (Reuters) - The Georgian parliament on Thursday voted to approve Irakli Kobakhidze as the South Caucasus country's new prime minister, after the ruling Georgian Dream bloc nominated him for the office last week.

Kobakhidze, who had chaired the ruling party since 2021, is known for his fiery rhetoric and balances sometimes trenchant criticism of the West and Ukraine with statements about his country's desire to join the European Union and the NATO military alliance.