Georgia calls early election
2007-11-08 17:48
Tbilisi - Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili on Thursday called an early presidential election for January.
The vote had been due to take place late next year, but Saakashvili said the elections would take place on January 5 "to receive the trust of the people," a move to defuse Georgia's political crisis.
Under the Georgian constitution, the president is elected for a five-year term and by calling an early election, Saakashvili will still require parliament's approval.
A pro-Saakashvili majority in parliament is expected to quickly endorse his decision.
The president's decision comes after the government's violent crackdown on demonstrators who had rallied in the capital of Tbilisi for weeks, calling for Saakashvili's dismissal and a change in the election schedule and electoral laws.
- AP