The Washington Post: In Georgia, an oligarch with echoes of Trump says he’s leaving politics, many don’t believe

In Georgia, an oligarch with echoes of Trump says he’s leaving politics. Many don’t believe, - reads an article published by the Washington Post.

According to the article, for nearly a decade, Georgia has had its own Trumpian story: a billionaire who built a political juggernaut that made him the de facto leader of the country stretching from the Black Sea to the Caucasus ranges.

“Now, the 64-year-old oligarch, Bidzina Ivanishvili, says he's giving it all up to concentrate on giving away his fortune as a philanthropist.

It’s an inspirational narrative — particularly because other leaders of post-Soviet states often cling onto power and rarely step down voluntarily. The big wrinkle: Few of Ivanishvili’s political opponents or regional political analysts believe it.

They say he will probably continue governing from behind the scenes, evading responsibility for a ruling party accused of increasingly anti-democratic leanings”, reads the article.

According to the article, though Ivanishvili has said he’s passing the Georgian Dream baton to 42-year-old Irakli Kobakhidze, a former speaker of Parliament, it’s unclear how the party will practically move forward without him.