2022 South Ossetian presidential election
10 April 2022 (first round)
8 May 2022 (second round)
 
Nominee Alan Gagloev Anatoly Bibilov
Party Nykhaz United Ossetia
Popular vote 16,134 11,767
Percentage 56.08% 40.90%
President before election

Anatoly Bibilov
United Ossetia

 Elected President

Alan Gagloev
Nykhaz

Presidential elections were held in the disputed territory of South Ossetia on 10 April 2022.[1] As none of the presidential nominees obtained at least 50% of the votes, a runoff was held on 8 May 2022,[2] between the top two candidates, Alan Gagloev and incumbent president Anatoly Bibilov.[3]

Prior to the run-off, Gagloyev received endorsements from the three candidates eliminated in the first round, Alexandr Pliyev, Garri Muldarov, and Dmitry Tasoyev, heading into the runoff against incumbent president Anatoly Biblov.[3] Gagloyev went on to win with 56.1% of the vote,[4][5] while Bibilov conceded defeat on the election night.[6]

Electoral system

The election is held using the two-round system; a candidate would be declared the winner if they received over 50% of the vote in the first round. As no candidate passed the 50% threshold, a run-off will be held. The President is elected for five years with one consecutive re-election possible.[7]

According to the constitution, a citizen of South Ossetia not younger than 35 years old, fluent in the state languages (Ossetian and Russian) and permanently residing in South Ossetia for the last 10 years can be elected president of South Ossetia.[7]

Candidates

Registered

CandidatePartyOffices heldNominatedRegistered[8]
Anatoly Bibilov[9]United OssetiaPresident of South Ossetia (2017–present)8 February 202216 March 2022
Alan Gagloev[10]NykhazLeader of Nykhaz (2020–present)7 February 202216 March 2022
Garry Muldarov[11]IndependentMember of Parliament (2019–present)7 February 202216 March 2022
Aleksandr Pliyev[12]People's PartyLeader of People's Party (2014–present);
Deputy chairman of Parliament (2019–present)		5 February 202216 March 2022
Dmitry Tasoyev[13]IndependentMember of Parliament (2014–present)9 February 202216 March 2022

Disqualified

  • Rustam Dzagoyev, entrepreneur
  • Ibrahim Gazseev, Minister of Defence (2016–2022)
  • Geno Kajayev, artist
  • Zelem Kaziyev, former police officer
  • Vladimir Kelekhsaev, leader of Unity of the People
  • Eduard Kokoity, former President of South Ossetia (2001–2011)[14]
  • Alan Kozonov, physician
  • Aslan Kutarov, former director of Megafon-South Ossetia
  • Alymbeg Pliyev, former Member of Parliament
  • Vladimir Pukhayev, former defence ministry official
  • David Sanakoyev, Member of Parliament
  • Taymuraz Tadtayev, teacher at South Ossetian university (Communist Party)
  • Albert Valiyev, entrepreneur[7][8]

Withdrew

  • Alan Tekhov, former deputy prime minister of South Ossetia[15]

Campaign

On 25 February 2022, President Bibilov fired his defense minister and presidential candidate Ibrahim Gazseev.[16]

If re-elected, Bibilov announced that a referendum on the unification of South Ossetia with Russia would be held in the near future.[17] Gagloyev was critical of the proposal, since "public opinion on the subject is known."[18] Bibilov was endorsed by Denis Pushilin (head of the breakaway Donetsk People's Republic), Lyudvig Chibirov (first president of South Ossetia) and representatives of the United Russia party.[19]

On 14 April chair of the Central Election Commission Emilia Gagiyeva stated that the election runoff was scheduled for 28 April. As 28 April falls on a Thursday, the CEC sent a letter to the president asking him to declare it a day off. On 23 April the Supreme Court of South Ossetia revoked the CEC decision as it was in contrary with Article 10 of the Constitution of South Ossetia, which says that voting could be held only on Sunday.[20]

Results

On 10 April 2022, incumbent President Anatoly Bibilov lost the first round of the presidential election to Alan Gagloev, who received most votes.[21][22] As none of the candidates received more than 50% of the vote, a requirement to win the presidency, a second round was called between Bibilov and Gagloyev. The three eliminated candidates declared their support for Gagloyev for the second round, which was scheduled for 8 May 2022, after initial confusion over its date.[23] Gagloyev won this round with 56.2% of the vote. The Election Commission set the transfer of power on 24 May 2022.[24]

According to local experts, Bibilov's defeat after an easy victory in 2017 can be explained by the number of scandals and abuse of power accusations that took place in recent years. There was for example the scandal of the prison death, which caused civil unrest and a paralyzed parliament.[25]

CandidatePartyFirst roundSecond round
Votes%Votes%
Alan GagloevNykhaz10,70738.5516,13456.08
Anatoly BibilovUnited Ossetia9,70634.9511,76740.90
Aleksandr PliyevPeople's Party3,43412.37
Garry MuldarovIndependent2,5929.33
Dmitry TasoyevIndependent8222.96
None of the above5101.848673.01
Total27,771100.0028,768100.00
Valid votes27,77195.5728,76897.77
Invalid/blank votes1,2864.436552.23
Total votes29,057100.0029,423100.00
Registered voters/turnout39,28273.9739,79873.93
Source: Central Electoral Commission, Final results CEC, Protocol CEC

International reactions

References

  1. ↑ "'Presidential Vote' Slated for April 10 in Tskhinvali Region". Civil.ge. 27 January 2022. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
  2. ↑ "Tskhinvali Runoff Race Slated for April 28". civil.ge. 14 April 2022.
  3. 1 2 "Reports: Runoff Expected in S. Ossetia". Civil.ge. 10 April 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  4. ↑ Инаугурация избранного президента Южной Осетии Алана Гаглоева пройдет 24 мая, ЦИК огласила окончательные итоги выборов. IA Res (in Russian). 14 May 2022. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  5. ↑ "South Ossetia's incumbent leader loses reelection". 9 May 2022.
  6. ↑ "Anatoly Bibilov congratulated Alan Gagloev on his election victory". IA Res (in Russian). 8 May 2022.
  7. 1 2 3 "ЦИК Южной Осетии завершил прием документов от выдвиженцев в президенты республики" [The CEC of South Ossetia stopped accepting documents from nominees for the presidency]. TASS (in Russian). 5 March 2022.
  8. 1 2 "КГБ Южной Осетии проверяет ЦИК после заявления о пропаже документов кандидата в президенты" [South Ossetian KGB checks the CEC after the statement that presidential candidate's papers were lost]. TASS (in Russian). 17 March 2022.
  9. ↑ "Anatoly Bibilov: Candidate for President of South Ossetia. Elections-2022". IA Res (in Russian). 20 March 2022.
  10. ↑ "Alan Gagloyev: Candidate for President of South Ossetia. Elections-2022". IA Res (in Russian). 20 March 2022.
  11. ↑ "Garry Muldarov: Candidate for President of South Ossetia. Elections-2022". IA Res (in Russian). 20 March 2022.
  12. ↑ "Aleksandr Pliyev: Candidate for President of South Ossetia. Elections-2022". IA Res (in Russian). 20 March 2022.
  13. ↑ "Dmitry Tasoyev: Candidate for President of South Ossetia. Elections-2022". IA Res (in Russian). 20 March 2022.
  14. ↑ "ЦИК Южной Осетии отказал в регистрации инициативной группе в поддержку экс-президента Эдуарда Кокойты" [CEC of South Ossetia refused to register an initiative group in support of ex-president Eduard Kokoity]. IA Res (in Russian). 21 February 2022.
  15. ↑ "Бывший зампред правительства Южной Осетии Алан Техов снял свою кандидатуру с президентских выборов" [Former deputy chairman of the government of South Ossetia Alan Tekhov withdrew his candidacy from the presidential elections]. IA Res (in Russian). 14 February 2022.
  16. ↑ "Выборы в Южной Осетии: Бибилов уволил соперника — министра обороны". EA Daily (in Russian). 25 February 2022.
  17. ↑ "Analysts are sceptical on South-Ossetian initiative to join Russia". Kavkazsky Uzel.
  18. ↑ "Tskhinvali Leadership Hopeful Shows Cautious Stance on Annexation". civil.ge. 9 April 2022.
  19. ↑ "Russian ruling party endorsed Bibilov for re-election in separatist Tskhinvali". CaucasusWatch.de. 17 April 2022.
  20. ↑ "В Южной Осетии отменили проведение 28 апреля второго тура президентских выборов". TASS (in Russian). 23 April 2022.
  21. ↑ "Opposition Candidate Takes Lead in First Round of S. Ossetia Polls". Civil Georgia. 11 April 2022. Retrieved 24 April 2022.
  22. ↑ "S. Ossetian Runoffs Rescheduled to May 8". Civil Georgia. 25 April 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  23. ↑ "Opposition leader wins first round in South Ossetia presidential poll". OC Media. 11 April 2022. Retrieved 11 April 2022.
  24. ↑ "Инаугурация избранного президента Южной Осетии Алана Гаглоева пройдет 24 мая, ЦИК огласила окончательные итоги выборов (The inauguration of the elected President of South Ossetia Alan Gagloev will be held on May 24, the CEC announced the final results of the elections)". IA Res (in Russian). 14 May 2022. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  25. ↑ ""Anyone, but Bibilov" - South Ossetia elects a new president". JAM News. 9 May 2022. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  26. ↑ "Азербайджан "отказал" Южной Осетии в президентских выборах". EA Daily (in Russian). 11 April 2022.
  27. ↑ "Чехия не признала президентские выборы в Южной Осетии". EA Daily (in Russian). 12 April 2022.
  28. ↑ "Statement by a Federal Foreign Office Spokesperson on the illegitimate, so‑called 'elections' in the Georgian region of South Ossetia". Federal Foreign Office. 10 April 2022.
  29. ↑ "Moldova rejects "elections" in Russian-occupied Tskhinvali". Agenda.ge. 8 April 2022.
  30. ↑ "MAE nu recunoaște "alegerile prezidențiale" din Tskhinvali/Osetia de Sud (Georgia)". JURIDICE.ro, the Society of Legal Sciences (in Romanian). 11 April 2022. Archived from the original on 5 July 2022. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
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