Abkhazia is a semi-presidential republic, and the second elected president of Abkhazia was Sergei Bagapsh. Bagapsh came to power following the deeply divisive October 2004 presidential election. The next election was held on 12 December 2009. Bagapsh was re-elected as president with 59.4% of the total vote. Alexander Ankvab, his vice president, was appointed acting president after the former president's death on 29 May 2011 until winning election in his own right later on 26 August 2011.