The results of the first round of Abkhazia’s presidential election have been finalized. As expected, the runoff contenders are pro-government candidate Badra Gunba and opposition leader Adgur Ardzinba. The winner will be determined in the second round of voting, scheduled for 1 March.

Five candidates participated in the election, but none managed to secure the required 50%+1 vote in the first round to claim victory.

The Central Election Commission (CEC) announced that Badra Gunba received 46% of the votes, while his main opponent, Adgur Ardzinba, secured 37%.

Gunba and Ardzinba represent two opposing political camps that have alternated in power in the Abkhaz government for the past 20 years.

The three other candidates, who positioned themselves as a “third force,” failed to pose a serious challenge to the frontrunners.

Former head of the Audit Chamber Robert Arshba received 7% of the votes, former Abkhaz trade representative in Russia Oleg Baritsits secured 4%, and banker Adgur Khurkhumal garnered just 1%.

Thus, the election results brought no surprises. However, Russia, which backed Badra Gunba, had clearly hoped he would secure an outright victory. Moscow deployed significant administrative, financial, and media resources to support its preferred candidate, but this proved insufficient for a first-round win.

There remains a small but real possibility that the president will not be elected in the second round either. This is because the ballot includes a “none of the above” option. To be declared the winner, a candidate must receive more votes than both their opponent and the combined “none of the above” votes.