TBILISI, November 28./TASS/. The polling stations for the runoff presidential election in Georgia have closed across the country with exit polls suggesting French-born former Georgian Foreign Minister Salome Zurabishvili is the favorite.
According to the Georgian Central Election Commission (CEC), 55 out of 3,703 polling stations are located abroad. The number of eligible voters is more than 3.5 million. According to the CEC, voter turnout was 47.31% as of 5 pm, local time, which exceeds the final voter turnout of 46.74% in the first round.
In the Wednesday’s runoff election, Salome Zurabishvili, who was supported by the ruling Georgian Dream Party, faced Grigol Vashadze, also a former top Georgian diplomat, of the opposition’s United National Movement. In the first round on October 28, Zurabishvili secured 38.64% of the votes, while Vashadze garnered 37.74% of the votes.
According to exit polls carried out for Imedi television, Zurabishvili is ahead of Vashadze, winning 58% of the vote against his 42%.
"As of 18:00, 10,204 respondents answered the questions of Gallup International. The results are as follows: Salome Zuarbishvili - 58%, Grigol Vashadze - 42%," Imedi Television announced the exit poll data.
This is the last direct election of president in Georgia. Under the amended constitution passed in March 2018, direct elections of the country’s president are to be abolished from 2024. After that date, Georgia’s president will be elected by an electoral college of 150 parliament members and 150 delegates from local authorities. The office term of the president will be reduced from six year now, a single-time measure, to five years.