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Georgia PM ally Giorgi Margvelashvilii 'wins presidency'
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24696261
27 October 2013 Last updated at 16:42
An ally of Georgian Prime Minister Bidzi Ivanishvili has won the
presidential election, exit polls say.
The polls give Giorgi Margvelashvili, 44, had 66-68% of the vote. His
closest rival, David Bakradze from the party of the incumbent, trailed
with 20.2%.
The election marks an end to a decade in power for pro-Western
President Mikheil Saakashvili, who was barred from seeking a third
term.
But constitutional changes are planned to reduce presidential powers.
The polls were conducted by European market research organization GfK
on behalf of Georgian private television station Rustavi2, and by ACT,
a Georgian public opinion group.
Giorgi Margvelashvili is a member of Mr Ivanishvili's Georgian Dream
prty, which won parliamentary elections last year, ushering in the
former Soviet republic's first legal transfer of power.
The billionaire businessman also intends to resign within weeks of the
vote, saying he has achieved his aims.
He has called the vote Georgia's "first European-style election".
Since coming to power in the bloodless 2003 "Rose Revolution" Mr
Saakashvili has implemented reforms which helped root out corruption.
He pursued a pro-Western foreign policy and improved public services
in the Caucasus republic, where poverty remains widespread.
But the country's prime minister, who is also Georgia's richest man,
has dismissed these achievements, calling Mr Saakashvili a "liar" and
a "dictator".
He has indicated that the outgoing president could face questioning or
even prosecution over the alleged crimes of his government after his
term ends.
Mr Ivanishvili has not yet named his party's successor as prime minister.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-24696261
27 October 2013 Last updated at 16:42
An ally of Georgian Prime Minister Bidzi Ivanishvili has won the
presidential election, exit polls say.
The polls give Giorgi Margvelashvili, 44, had 66-68% of the vote. His
closest rival, David Bakradze from the party of the incumbent, trailed
with 20.2%.
The election marks an end to a decade in power for pro-Western
President Mikheil Saakashvili, who was barred from seeking a third
term.
But constitutional changes are planned to reduce presidential powers.
The polls were conducted by European market research organization GfK
on behalf of Georgian private television station Rustavi2, and by ACT,
a Georgian public opinion group.
Giorgi Margvelashvili is a member of Mr Ivanishvili's Georgian Dream
prty, which won parliamentary elections last year, ushering in the
former Soviet republic's first legal transfer of power.
The billionaire businessman also intends to resign within weeks of the
vote, saying he has achieved his aims.
He has called the vote Georgia's "first European-style election".
Since coming to power in the bloodless 2003 "Rose Revolution" Mr
Saakashvili has implemented reforms which helped root out corruption.
He pursued a pro-Western foreign policy and improved public services
in the Caucasus republic, where poverty remains widespread.
But the country's prime minister, who is also Georgia's richest man,
has dismissed these achievements, calling Mr Saakashvili a "liar" and
a "dictator".
He has indicated that the outgoing president could face questioning or
even prosecution over the alleged crimes of his government after his
term ends.
Mr Ivanishvili has not yet named his party's successor as prime minister.