South Ossetian presidential election, 2011

South Ossetian presidential election, 2011
South Ossetia
13 and 27 November 2011
 
Nominee Alla Dzhioyeva Anatoliy Bibilov
Party Independent Unity Party
Percentage 56.7% 40.0%
President before election

Eduard Kokoity
Unity Party

 Acting President

Vadim Brovtsev
Independent

South Ossetia
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
South Ossetia
See also

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Presidential elections were held in South Ossetia on 13 November 2011.[1] A referendum was held on the same day.[2] A run-off was held on 27 November, but the result were invalidated by the Supreme Court of South Ossetia. A new election was scheduled for 25 March 2012.[3]

Candidates

Incumbent president Eduard Kokoity was constitutionally barred from serving a third term in office. Attempts were made to call a referendum to change the constitution, but this was blocked by the Supreme Court. Another attempt to change the constitution by a two-thirds majority in parliament was blocked by parliamentary chairman and Communist Party of South Ossetia leader Stanislav Kochiev.[4]

Kokoity himself stated he had no intention in seeking a third term,[4][5] and called on everybody to refrain from initiatives to allow him to serve a third term. Kokoity made it clear that he would not disappear from the South Ossetian political scene.[6]

In the end, 17 candidates were registered by the electoral commission, including former Prime minister Merab Chigoev, former education minister Alla Dzhioyeva and incumbent Emergencies Minister Anatoly Bibilov.[7] Days before the election, candidate Ivar Bestaev withdrew from the election, his name was not included on the ballots. This left 16 candidates,[8] but in the following days five more candidates withdrew,[9] including Chigoev.[10]

Anatoly Bibilov claimed to be backed by Russia.[11] A letter in his support from Vladimir Putin was read in an election meeting, several United Russia members of parliament visited the republic and expressed their support for Bibilov, the ruling Unity party's candidate.[12] Alla Dzhioyeva received support from Dzambolat Tedeev, the Russian freestyle wrestling team's coach, who was on 13 October expelled from South Ossetia on 14 October after being denied registration,[13] and Anatoly Barankevich, former minister of defence of South Ossetia, who both opposed incumbent president Eduard Kokoity, a former member of the Soviet Union's national wrestling team. Dzhioyeva campaigned on the deficit of fuel, lack of cellular network in parts of the republic and misappropriated funds provided for the post-war reconstruction of South Ossetia by Russia.[14]

Election day

Polling stations were open from 8:00 until 20:00. There were 86 such stations, located all over the country, as well as in Moscow and Sukhumi. Special polling stations were opened for South Ossetian citizens living in North Ossetia–Alania.[10] In South Ossetia, a turnout of 50% + 1 vote is required for an election to be valid. This threshold was reached around 16:00.

Results

First round

The two most successful participants were Bibilov, with 25.44% of votes cast, and Dzhioyeva, with a 25.37% share of the vote. They went through to a runoff on 27 November, which was needed as no candidate had achieved a majority in the first round.

Second round

Preliminary results released on 27 November show Dzhioyeva in the lead, with 8955 votes to Bibilov's 6205.[15] The final results confirmed this.[16] However, the Unity Party filed a complaint at the Supreme Court of South Ossetia, alleging Dzhioyeva's campaign used illegal means to secure the victory. The Supreme Court subsequently declared the election invalid.[17] A new election date was agreed upon for 25 March 2012.[3]

 Summary of the 13 November 2011 South Ossetian presidential election results
Presidential candidate Party 1st round runoff
votes % votes %
Alla Dzhioyeva 25.37 16,454 58.86
Anatoliy Bibilov 25.44 10,972 39.25
Vadim Chovrebov 9.88
Alan Kotaev 9.62
Dmitriy Tasoev Social Democratic Party 9.10
Georgiy Kabisov 7.53
Vladimir Kelehsaev 6.36
Sergej Bitiev 3.33
Soslan Tedety 1.14
Dzhemal Dzhigkaev 0.95
Alan Pliev 0.86
Against all 0.47
Invalid n/a
Total number of votes cast 100.00 27,956 100.00
Turnout 67.05
Abstention 32.95
Total number of registered voters 100.00 100.00
Source: South Ossetian Electoral Commission OSInform

References

  1. ↑ http://www.mherrera.org/elections.htm
  2. ↑ "Decree to postpone a vote on the referendum in the Republic of South Ossetia" (in Russian). Official website of the President of South Ossetia. 12 August 2011. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
  3. 1 2 Парламент РЮО назначил повторные выборы президента на 25 марта 2012 года (in Russian). OSInform. 29 November 2011. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  4. 1 2 Fuller, Liz (16 June 2011). "South Ossetian Supreme Court Nixes Proposed Referendum On Third Presidential Term". Radio Free Europe. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  5. ↑ "Eduard Kokoity: I do not intend to run for a third term" (in Russian). Tskhinvali: OSInform / IA "Res". 4 May 2011. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  6. ↑ "Message from the President of the Republic of South Ossetia, Eduard Kokoity" (in Russian). Official website of the president of South Ossetia. 16 June. Retrieved 11 July 2011. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ↑ "Presidential election 2011" (in Russian). South Ossetian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 7 November 2011.
  8. ↑ "South Ossetia's Central Election Commission is finalizing preparations for the presidential election and referendum" (in Russian). South Ossetian Electoral Commission. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
  9. ↑ "Four Candidates Quit South Ossetian Presidential Race". Radio Free Europe. 11 November 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
  10. 1 2 В Южной Осетии начались выборы президента (in Russian). South Ossetian Electoral Commission. 13 November 2011. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
  11. ↑ , Kremlin favorite faces run-off in South Ossetia elections, Deutsche Welle, 14 November 2011
  12. ↑ Post-independence transition, Sergei Markedonov, Russia Beyond the Headlines, 21 November 2011.Retrieved: 22 April 2012.
  13. ↑ Djambolat Tedeev expelled from South Ossetia,Caucasian Knot, 13 October 2011.Retrieved: 22 April 2012.
  14. ↑ Кандидатка против всех (Candidate Against All), Gazeta.ru, 14 November 2011
  15. ↑ По предварительным данным, на выборах в Южной Осетии лидирует Алла Джиоева (in Russian). South Ossetian Electoral Commission. 27 November 2011. Retrieved 27 November 2011.
  16. ↑ Алла Джиоева: Общество вынесло приговор эпохе (in Russian). OSInform. 29 November 2011. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
  17. ↑ Срочно! Верховный суд Южной Осетии признал выборы недействительными (in Russian). OSInform. 29 November 2011. Retrieved 29 November 2011.
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