Early count points to win for Salome Zurabishvili in presidential runoff
490 views · Published 4 December 2018 · 1:17 · Indexed 8 October 2026
Channel: AP Archive · 2018 · News & Politics
(29 Nov 2018) A French-born former foreign minister of Georgia was on Wednesday celebrating what she claimed was her victory in a tight presidential runoff that marked the last time Georgians will elect their head of state by popular vote. According to preliminary results from the Central Election Commission (CEC), 66-year-old Salome Zurabishvili, backed by the ruling Georgian Dream party, received 57 percent of votes. The CEC said opposition candidate, 60-year-old Grigol Vashadze, who was supported by a coalition of opposition forces, received 48 percent. The CEC's preliminary results were based on 32 percent of precincts counted. Georgia, a nation of nearly 4 million people in the volatile Caucasus region south of Russia, is transitioning to a parliamentary republic. Presidential powers have been substantially reduced with the prime minister becoming the most powerful figure in the country. After the new president's six-year term ends, future heads of state will be chosen by delegates. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: https://twitter.com/AP_Archive Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/APArchives Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/APNews/ You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/4b1aa2e67a92e7941f2afc3614ee5658
