Abkhazia Initiates Presidential Candidate Registration Ahead of February Election

SUKHUM / AQW’A — The Central Election Commission (CEC) of Abkhazia has begun the registration process for presidential candidates, following the announcement of an early presidential election scheduled for 15 February 2025.

The registration process, as reported by the state news agency Apsnypress, allows two main pathways for candidates: nomination by registered political parties or by initiative groups of voters. Political parties eligible to nominate candidates must have been registered with the Ministry of Justice no later than five months prior to the end of the current president's term.

Decisions on nominations are made at a party congress or conference, typically through a secret ballot unless otherwise specified. These decisions must comprehensively document:

• The precise number of registered participants at the congress
• The exact quorum required according to the party's charter
• Comprehensive candidate details, including:
  • Full name
  • Date and place of birth
  • Educational background
  • Primary occupation or position
  • Residential address
  • Citizenship
  • Duration of residence in Abkhazia
• Detailed voting results for the candidate's nomination
• The exact date of the decision

The nomination document must be signed by the party leader and stamped with the party's official seal.

For candidates nominated by voter initiative groups, a group of at least 10 voters must first register with the Central Election Commission (CEC). Each voter can belong to only one initiative group. To validate the candidacy, the group must gather between 2,000 and 2,500 supporting signatures from voters across the country.

Signature collection follows strict protocols. Each signature form must include the voter's full name, year of birth (with exact date for 18-year-olds), residential address as listed in their Abkhazian passport, and passport details. The forms require signatures from both the signature collector and an authorized representative, who bear legal responsibility for the authenticity of the collected signatures.

The nomination period will close on 6 January, 40 days before the upcoming presidential election. This marks a critical phase in Abkhazia's electoral process, where political parties and citizen groups can put forward their candidates for the nation's highest office.