Thousands in Georgia protest against presidential election results

Opposition leader and former presidential candidate Grigol Vashadze addresses his supporters during a rally near the parliament building in Tbilisi, Georgia December 2, 2018. REUTERS/David Mdzinarishvili

TBILISI (Reuters) - Thousands of Georgians protested in the capital Tbilisi on Sunday against the result of the country's presidential election, as defeated candidate Grigol Vashadze said opposition parties would challenge the outcome in court.

Vashadze has described the election as a "criminal farce" and has called for snap parliamentary elections after the central election commission said on Thursday that Salome Zurabishvili, who was backed by the ruling Georgian Dream party, had secured 59.5 percent of the vote. Vashadze had 40.5 percent, it said.