Georgian PM expects single-round victory for ruling coalition

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Georgian PM expects single-round victory for ruling coalition

(Xinhua) 20:29, October 17, 2013

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TBILISI, Oct. 17 -- Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili said Thursday that he is expecting a single-round victory for the ruling coalition in this year's presidential election.

"I cannot imagine a second round," Ivanishvili said during a meeting with representatives from local media.

"But if it happens it will be awkward. If there is a second round, I would advise (Giorgi) Margvelashvili not to take part in it," he said.

Margvelashvili is the candidate of the ruling Georgian Dream-Democratic Georgia coalition, which came to power after legislative polls in October 2012.

Georgia's election regulations stipulate a run-off for the two who garner most votes but none surpasses the 50-percent threshold for a one-round victory in the presidential race.

A total of 23 candidates are running in this year's presidential election, which has been slated for Oct. 27. The previous five presidential elections in the South Caucasus country since 1991 were all decided by a one-round voting.

The latest third-party public opinion polls have indicated that though Margvelashvili takes the lead in the race, he is standing somewhere between 40-50 percent of popular support.

Ivanishvili said it would be outrageous to him if Margvelashvili gets less than 60 percent of the actual votes, but he reiterated his belief in Georgian voters.

（Editor：WangXin、Zhang Qian）