Top presidential candidates in Georgia face runoff

TBILISI, Georgia – Election officials in the former Soviet republic of Georgia say the top two candidates in Sunday’s presidential elections garnered less than 50 per cent of the vote, paving the way for a runoff.

The Central Election Commission said on Monday that preliminary results show two former foreign ministers — Salome Zurabishvili and Grigol Vashadze — won 39 and 38 per cent of the vote, respectively, amid a field of 25 candidates. A runoff between the two is expected to be held by Dec. 2.

This is Georgia’s last presidential election. constitutional changes kick in at the end of the next president’s term that will leave it to a delegate system to choose the president. The changes will make the prime minister the most powerful political figure in the country.