The opposition People’s Party more than doubled its support to 22% since 2014, when it got 9.5%. (cominf.org)

TBILISI, DFWatch–The ruling party in breakaway South Ossetia looked set to win the elections for de facto parliament with 35 percent of votes after 95 percent of votes had been counted Monday evening.

But United Ossetia’s margin of victory is well below the last election, in 2014, when it garnered almost 45 percent.

The opposition People’s Party, on the other hand, noted a surge in votes and secured 22 percent, well above its previous 9.5 percent, according to preliminary results from the de facto electoral body.

The same announcement placed Nykhaz at over 14 percent, Unity received 13 percent, and the local Communist party over 7 percent.

Although de facto president Anatoly Bibilov’s United Ossetia leads the ballot, it’s set to lose about 10 percent of votes.

The elections for de facto parliament were held on June 9. Seven political parties and 38 self-promoted candidates took part.

Georgia has denounced the elections.

“The above so-called elections represent yet another futile attempt by Russia and its occupation regime in Tskhinvali to legitimize the ethnic cleansing of Georgians in Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia, the illegal occupation and forceful change of the sovereign borders of Georgia,” reads a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia on Sunday.

The Tskhinvali parliament is a unicameral legislature which consists of 34 representatives. In the current parliament, 20 seats are held by United Ossetia.