Abkhazian parliamentary election, 2007

Parliamentary elections were held in the unrecognized Republic of Abkhazia on 4 March, 2007; a run-off round was held in seventeen constituencies on 18 March 2007. [ [http://www.unpo.org/article.php?id=6028 "Abkhazia: Elections to Be Held Early 2007"] , UNPO, December 18, 2006 ] 189 polling stations were organized [ [http://www.apsnypress.info/news2007/january/24.htm "15 инициативных групп уже представили подписные листы в ЦИК"] , Apsnypress, January 24, 2007] to elect 35 parliament members. 47.25% of about 130,000 registered voters participated in the first round of the elections. [ [http://www.apsnypress.info/news2007/march/5.htm "4 МАРТА В АБХАЗИИ СОСТОЯЛИСЬ ВЫБОРЫ ДЕПУТАТОВ ПАРЛАМЕНТА."] Apsnypress, March 5, 2007] Neither Georgia nor the EU recognised these elections citing a lack of participation by Georgian refugees. [http://www.interfax.ru/e/B/0/28.html?id_issue=11688490 Interfax, March 5]

Candidates

Politics of Abkhazia128 candidates were registered to run and included:

* 92 Abkhazians
* 10 Armenians
* 5 Georgians
* 4 Russians
* 1 Ukrainian

Sergei Bagapsh, the President of Abkhazia, stressed the necessity of having a multiethnic parliament, where all the minorities were represented. He also stated that the prevailing issue of the election campaign was achieving international recognition for the de facto independent state. [ [http://www.messenger.com.ge/issues/1280_january_23_2007/n_1280_2.htm "Abkhazia prepares for parliamentary elections"] , The Messenger, January 23, 2007]

Participating political parties

Backing President Bagapsh

*United Abkhazia
*Aytayra
*Amtsakhara

Backing Vice President Raul Khadjimba (opposition)

*Forum of Abkhaz People’s Unity

No government affiliation

*Communist Party of Abkhazia
*Russian Citizens Union

Results

28 of the 35 elected candidates were supporters of president Bagapsh, while the other 7 were opposition members. ^{[http://www.geotimes.ge/index.php?m=home&newsid=3614]} 26 of the elected candidates were Abkhazians, three were Russians, three were Armenians, two were Georgians and one was a Turk. ^{[http://www.regnum.ru/english/polit/798212.html]}

References