Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili leaves a voting booth, during a parliamentary election runoff in Tbilisi, Georgia, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016. The governing party in the former Soviet republic of Georgia aims to win a constitutional majority of parliament seats in the second round of national voting Sunday. (Leli Blagonravova/Presidential Press Service via AP)
The Associated Press
TBILISI, Georgia (AP) - Early results in the former Soviet republic of Georgia show the governing party winning a large majority of seats following the second round of parliamentary voting.
Three weeks ago, the Georgian Dream party took 67 of the parliament's 150 seats. Runoffs had to be staged for 50 other seats in which no candidate received a majority.
Central Election Commission chief Tamar Zhvaniya told reporters on Monday that the Georgian Dream took 48 seats in the runoff, giving the party a healthy majority of 115.
Only 37.5 percent of eligible voters participated in the runoffs.
Georgian Dream was started by tycoon Bidzina Ivanishvili, who made his fortune in Russia. He later became prime minister, but even after stepping down from the post he is still seen as the party's dominant influence.
Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili, left, is greeted by a Georgian woman outside a polling station during a parliamentary election runoff in Tbilisi, Georgia, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016. The governing party in the former Soviet republic of Georgia aims to win a constitutional majority of parliament seats in the second round of national voting Sunday. (Leli Blagonravova/Presidential Press Service Handout Photo via AP)
The Associated Press
Pool workers wait for voters at a polling station during a parliamentary election runoff in Tbilisi, Georgia, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016. The governing party in the former Soviet republic of Georgia aims to win a constitutional majority of parliament seats in the second round of national voting Sunday. (AP Photo/Shakh Aivazov)
The Associated Press
A man fills his ballot papers in a voting booth during a parliamentary election runoff in Tbilisi, Georgia, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016. The governing party in the former Soviet republic of Georgia aims to win a constitutional majority of parliament seats in the second round of national voting Sunday. (AP Photo/Shakh Aivazov)
The Associated Press
A woman holding her child leaves a voting booth during a parliamentary election runoff in Tbilisi, Georgia, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016. The governing party in the former Soviet republic of Georgia aims to win a constitutional majority of parliament seats in the second round of national voting Sunday. (AP Photo/Shakh Aivazov)
The Associated Press