TSKHINVALI - South Ossetia's strongman leader tightened his grip on the breakaway Georgian region Monday after a loyal party emerged as the clear winner of legislative elections.
Eduard Kokoity, a former wrestling champion accused by his critics of muzzling opponents and stealing aid money sent from Russia, could now use a parliamentary majority to allow himself to stand for another term in office.
Nine months after Russia and Georgia fought a war over the status of South Ossetia, the mountainous Caucasus region remains largely in ruins and has only been recognized as independent by Moscow and distant Nicaragua.
Final results issued by the election commission after Sunday's elections said Yedinstvo (Unity) -- the party most vocally supportive of Kokoity -- was the clear winner after polling 46.36 percent.
The People's Party, also largely uncritical of Kokoity, won 22.53 percent while the Communists scored 22.25 percent.
"We will work closely together to follow the path of independence that the republic has chosen," Kokoity said as the results were announced.
However none of the four parties competing for the 34 seats in the parliament could be described as overtly critical of the leader after the central election commission barred the two other parties.
Georgia ridiculed the vote, with the country's Reintegration Minister Temur Iakobashvili saying the elections were "nothing but clownery, a farce and a redistribution of a criminal power."
The election coincided with controversial NATO exercises in Georgia which were due to end on Monday after provoking a furious reaction from Russia.