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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Georgian president 're-elected' | Georgian president 're-elected' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Mikhail Saakashvili has been re-elected president of Georgia after a snap poll, preliminary official results suggest. | Mikhail Saakashvili has been re-elected president of Georgia after a snap poll, preliminary official results suggest. |
| The election commission said he won 52.8% of the vote, with most ballots counted - indicating he will not have to contest a second-round run-off. | The election commission said he won 52.8% of the vote, with most ballots counted - indicating he will not have to contest a second-round run-off. |
| The opposition has already alleged the vote was rigged and mounted protests in the capital, Tbilisi. | The opposition has already alleged the vote was rigged and mounted protests in the capital, Tbilisi. |
| But monitors from the OSCE and Council of Europe said the vote was democratic and the outcome should be respected. | But monitors from the OSCE and Council of Europe said the vote was democratic and the outcome should be respected. |
| Officials said the 52.8% figure was a tally from polling stations in Georgia. Some overseas results were still awaited. | Officials said the 52.8% figure was a tally from polling stations in Georgia. Some overseas results were still awaited. |
| "According to these results, there is a fairly high probability that everything will be finished in the first round," central electoral commission chairman Levan Tarkhnishvili said. | "According to these results, there is a fairly high probability that everything will be finished in the first round," central electoral commission chairman Levan Tarkhnishvili said. |
| Mr Saakashvili's main contender, Levan Gachechiladze, came second with 27% of the vote, officials declared. | Mr Saakashvili's main contender, Levan Gachechiladze, came second with 27% of the vote, officials declared. |
| 'Triumphant step' | |
| Earlier in the day, Mr Gachechiladze told thousands of supporters in the capital Tbilisi that results had been "falsified". | Earlier in the day, Mr Gachechiladze told thousands of supporters in the capital Tbilisi that results had been "falsified". |
| In a snowbound square on Sunday, the Orthodox Christmas Eve, he told the crowd: "We will defend our vote by legal means." | |
| However, international observer missions applauded the conduct of the election. | |
| Thousands of opposition protesters disputed the result | |
| US Congressman Alcee Hastings of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), said: "I perceive this election as a valid expression of the choice of the Georgian people." | |
| He said there had been some shortcomings - notably that Mr Saakashvili's campaign had overlapped with state activities, and this "contributed to an inequitable campaign environment". | |
| But he praised the "calm and peaceful atmosphere" during the election, in which he said "democracy took a triumphant step". | |
| Matyas Eorsi, the head of a monitoring group from the Council of Europe, also endorsed the election, adding: "I would like to make a plea to all political actors to respect the legitimacy of the election for the stability of Georgia." | |
| The United States urged the opposition to respect the monitors' verdict. | |
| Russia, however, called that verdict "hasty" and "superficial". | |
| Close to West | |
| Mr Saakashvili called the early election in an attempt to prove his democratic credentials after huge opposition protests were suppressed in November. | |
| Georgians were also asked to vote on whether they should have a parliamentary election in the coming months, and whether the country should join Nato. The results of those ballots are not yet clear. | |
| Mr Saakashvili, a US-educated lawyer, came to power after street protests in 2003, dubbed the Rose Revolution. | |
| His term as president has seen Georgia strengthen its ties with Nato and the European Union. | |
| But relations with Moscow have soured and Georgia's economy has been badly hit by a Russian ban on Georgian goods. |