French-Diplomat Wins Georgia’s Presidential Election

Georgian election officials say a French-born former foreign minister has won a presidential runoff, marking the last time citizens of the ex-Soviet nation elected their head of state by popular vote.

The Central Election Commission said Thursday that with 99.9 percent of precincts counted, Salome Zurabishvili has won nearly 60 percent of the vote, while her rival, Grigol Vashadze, polled just more than 40 percent in Wednesday's ballot.

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Zurabishvili ran as an independent, but backed by the ruling Georgian Dream party. Vashadze was supported by a coalition of opposition forces.

Georgia, a country with 4 million people in the volatile Caucasus region, is transitioning to a parliamentary republic. Presidential powers have been substantially reduced and after the new president's six-year term ends, future heads of state will be chosen by delegates. (VOA)