More than half of eligible voters in the unrecognized Republic of Abkhazia turned out to vote for a successor to ailing President Vladislav Ardzinba on 3 October. The election featured five candidates, none of whom was able to garner the sufficient number of votes needed to avoid a special runoff election. Of the five, the Abkhazian government\'s favored candidate, former Prime Minister Raul Khadjimba, and opposition contender Sergei Bagapsh are reported to be the leading the rest of the field. Although Khadjimba enjoys the support of the Abkhazian establishment and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Bagapsh holds an advantage with support from an opposition bloc comprised of the Amtsakhara Union of Veterans, United Abkhazia, the Federation of Independent Trade Unions, and the Aitaira Movement. The contest will select a new leader for Abkhazia, as outgoing President Ardzinba is constitutionally prohibited from seeking a third five-year term as president. (ITAR-TASS)