Exit Polls Give Saakashvili Landslide

04/01/2004| IslamWeb

At the end of voting, exit polls in Georgia's presidential elections say Mikhail Saakashvili has won 85.8% of the vote. Georgia's presidency has been vacant since November's Rose Revolution toppled veteran leader, Eduard Shevardnadze. It is hoped the vote could mark a turning point for the troubled nation which has been wracked by civil war and economic decline since independence from the Soviet Union. "Well I voted for the future of Georgia and I'm amazed by the unusual high turnout today," said Saakashvili outside a polling station. "It's the first election which I have witnessed where people are so active. That means that hope is back in Georgia. We should keep it." Saakashvili has been riding a wave of popularity since he led the peaceful protests that toppled Shevardnadze. The former president also turned out to vote. It was irregularities in the voters' lists in a parliamentary election last year that helped trigger the popular anger that brought Shevardnadze down. This time the vote has been closely scrutinised with more than 600 elections observers checking ballot boxes and voter lists. **PHOTO CAPTION*** Presidential candidate Mikhail Saakashvili speaks during a news conference in Tbilisi, January 4, 2004. (REUTERS/Gleb Garanich)