An ally of the Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Margvelashvili has won the presidential election, according to partial results released by the electoral commission.

CEOAFRICA gathered that with votes at 12% of polling stations counted, Giorgi Margvelashvili has won 64%. His closest rival, David Bakradze, trails with 21%. Mr Bakradze has admitted defeat and congratulated Mr Margvelashvili.

The election marks an end to a decade in power for pro-Western President Mikheil Saakashvili. Having served the maximum two terms, he told voters to "respect the opinion of the majority".

As Mr Margvelashvili - a former academic handpicked by Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili looks to have secured more than half the vote, the contest is unlikely to go to a second round.

Giorgi Margvelashvili is a member of Mr Ivanishvili's Georgian Dream party, which won parliamentary elections last year, ushering in the former Soviet republic's first legal transfer of power.