**Abkhazia to Hold Second Round of Presidential Elections**
On March 1, a second round of presidential elections will take place in Abkhazia, a region occupied by Russia. Two candidates, Badra Gunba and Adgur Ardzinba, will compete for the de facto post.
**Background**
The first round of elections was held on February 15. However, neither candidate received more than 50% of the votes needed to win without a second round. According to the Central Election Commission of Abkhazia, Gunba received 46.38% of votes and Ardzinba – 36.92%.
**Reaction from the International Community**
The Georgian Foreign Ministry has condemned the elections in Abkhazia and called on the international community not to recognize them. Other countries, including Ukraine and the U.K., have also expressed their disapproval.
* The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry stated that “Ukraine does not recognize these fake “elections” and considers them as a systematic attempt by the Russian Federation to legitimize the pro-Russian separatist regime in the occupied Georgian territory.”
* The British Embassy in Georgia said, “The UK does not recognize the legitimacy of the so-called Presidential elections in Georgia’s Abkhazia region on 15 February 2025. We reiterate our full support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Georgia within its internationally recognized borders.”
**Abkhazia’s History**
Abkhazia’s de facto parliament called for early elections after Aslan Bzhania stepped down as de facto president following protests in the occupied region last November.
