2019 Abkhazian presidential election

Presidential elections were held in the partially recognized Republic of Abkhazia in 2019. As no candidate gathered more than 50% of the votes in the first round 25 August, a second was held on 8 September between the top two candidates, incumbent President Raul Khajimba of the Forum for the National Unity of Abkhazia and Alkhas Kvitsinia of Amtsakhara.[1] Khajimba was subsequently re-elected with a margin of less than 2% in the second round. On September 20, the Supreme Court in Abkhazia declared the decision of the Central Election Commission to recognize incumbent Raul Khajimba’s victory in the second round of the presidential election as legal.[2]

2019 Abkhazian presidential election

25 August 2019 (first round) 8 September 2019 (second round)

Candidate Raul Khajimba Alkhas Kvitsinia Party FNUA Amtsakhara Running mate Aslan Bartsits Dmitri Dbar Popular vote 39,741 38,742 Percentage 48.68% 47.46%

President before election Raul Khajimba FNUA Elected President Election results annulled Valeri Bganba becomes interim president

In January 2020 the Abkhazian Supreme Court annulled the results, following protests against Khajimba.[3] Khajimba resigned the presidency on 12 January, and new elections were called for 22 March.[4]

Background

The People's Assembly had originally set a date for 21 July.[5] In May 2019, the opposition demanded rescheduling the elections after the main opposition candidate Aslan Bzhania appeared to have been poisoned in Russia.[6] The elections were subsequently postponed to 25 August 2019 under pressure from supporters of the Bzhania.[7]

Candidates

Registration for candidates officially opened on 26 June 2019.[8] Ten candidate initially registered;[9][10] but it was later determined that one candidate, Astamur Otirba, had not presented a Vice-President in time.[11]

Presidential candidate	Career	Party	Vice Presidential candidate
Shamil Adzinba	Deputy Prime Minister, 2014–2016		Rafael Ampar
Artur Ankvab	Historian, Lecturer at Abkhazian State University		Soslan Salakaya
Oleg Arshba	Former Deputy Foreign Minister		Oleg Bartsyts
Leonid Dzapshba	Leader of Akzaara, Minister of Internal Affairs, 2010–2016	Akzaara	Vianor Ashba
Almas Japua	Member of Parliament	Independent	Vadim Smyr
Astamur Kakalia	Businessman, diplomat		Astamur Ayba
Raul Khajimba	Incumbent President of Abkhazia	FNUA	Aslan Bartsits
Alkhas Kvitsinia	Chairman of Amtsakhara	Amtsakhara	Dmitri Dbar
Astamur Tarba	Former head of the State Security Service of Abkhazia		Tamazi Ketsba

Bzhaniya’s withdrawal from the election

Opposition leader Aslan Bzhania withdrew from the election on 15 July due to an apparent poisoning.[12]

Results

Candidate		First round		Second round
		Votes	%	Votes	%
	Raul Khajimba	20,544	26.33	39,741	48.68
	Alkhas Kvitsinia	18,929	24.26	38,742	47.46
	Oleg Arshba	18,665	23.92
	Astamur Tarba	5,695	7.30
	Leonid Dzapshba	4,935	6.33
	Shamil Adzinba	3,579	4.59
	Almas Japua	1,753	2.25
	Artur Ankvab	1,403	1.80
	Astamur Kakalia	841	1.08
	None of the above	1,677	2.15	3,154	3.86
Invalid votes		4,770	–	2,246	–
Total		82,791	100	83,883	100
Registered voters/turnout		129,421	63.97	127,136	65.98
Source: Apsnypress, Apsnypress

Aftermath

Following the second round, Alkhas Kvitsinia contested the results in court.[13] After the elections, Khajimba re-appointed Valery Bganba as Prime Minister.[14]

Protests against Khajimba began on 9 January 2020, and on 10 January the Abkhazian Supreme Court annulled the results of the election.[3]

See also

• List of annulled elections

References

1. "Рауль Хаджимба и Алхас Квициния вышли во второй тур выборов" [Raul Khadjimba and Alkhas Kvitsinia enter the second round of elections] (in Russian). Apsnypress. 26 August 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
2. "Abkhazia: court confirms victory of Khajimba in presidential elections despite opposition protest", JAM News, Sep 20, 2019, retrieved Nov 2, 2019
3. "Верховный суд Абхазии отменил итоги выборов президента" [Supreme Court of Abkhazia canceled the results of the presidential election] (in Russian). BBC News. 10 January 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2020.
4. RFE/RL (12 January 2020). "Abkhaz Leader Resigns Amid Ongoing Election-Fraud Protests In Breakaway Region". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
5. "Abkhazia announces date of presidential elections". jam-news.net. 5 April 2019. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
6. Nikoladze, Tatia (17 May 2019). "Abkhaz parliament confirms opposition leader was poisoned, presidential elections may be rescheduled". Jam-News. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
7. Jamnews (28 May 2019). "Abkhaz presidential elections to take place 25 Aug., parliament confirms move". Jam-News. Retrieved 1 June 2019.
8. Giloyan, Elenora (27 June 2019). "Abkhazia: Whom to elect for president?". Jam News. Retrieved 28 June 2019.
9. "Центризбирком опубликовал биографические данные зарегистрирован ных кандидатов в президенты и виц" [Central Election Commission published biographical data of registered presidential and vice candidates] (in Russian). Apsnypress.info. 19 July 2019. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
10. "Центризбирком опубликовал биографические данные трех зарегистрированных кандидатов в президенты" [Central Election Commission published biographical data of three registered presidential candidates] (in Russian). Apsnypress.info. 26 July 2019. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
11. Meretukova, Ruzana (25 August 2019). "В Абхазии начались самые конкурентные выборы президента" [The most competitive presidential elections begin in Abkhazia]. RBK Group. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
12. "Лидер оппозиции Бжания снялся с выборов президента Абхазии из-за болезни" [Opposition leader Bzhania withdrew from presidential elections in Abkhazia due to illness] (in Russian). kommersant.ru. 15 July 2019. Retrieved 15 July 2019.
13. Noack, David X. (21 October 2019). "»Weiter so« in Abchasien" [Political standstill in Abkhazia] (in German). Neues Deutschland. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
14. "Abkhazia has a new prime minister – the old one". JAM News. 14 October 2019. Retrieved 22 October 2019.