International observers gave their stamp of approval to Georgia’s presidential election on Monday, characterizing it as “clean” and “transparent.”

Sunday’s election was won easily by Giorgi Margvelashvili, a 44-year-old former university rector with limited political experience.

“In a positive and transparent election, the Georgian people have confirmed last year’s historic transfer of power,” Joao Soares who lead the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe observer mission, said in a statement. “This clean election following a political cohabitation tells me that Georgia’s democracy is maturing.”

Margvelashvili won Sunday’s election with 62 percent of the vote.

The presidential candidate from Saakashvili’s party, former parliament speaker David Bakradze, finished second with 22 percent.

In third place among the 23 candidates with 10 percent was Nino Burdzhanadze, a veteran politician who has called for Saakashvili to be jailed.