She won the 2011 presidential election, but the Supreme Court annulled the results, alleging that electoral fraud had been committed.

Having graduated from Ttskhinvali's secondary school № 5, she entered the South Ossetian Pedagogical Institute in 1967, but later transferred to Odessa University, which she finished in 1974 with a degree in philology.

[7] Dzioyeva is also credited with launching an experimental project to introduce the Ossetic language immersion classes in some schools.

[8] Dzhioyeva has been a vocal supporter of reunification of South and North Ossetia; in 2006, she became involved in an intergovernmental group for further integration of the two republics.

She remained detained until April 29, 2010, when a court found her guilty of fraud and official misconduct, but absolved her of two other charges.

Its first round took place on November 13 with Dzhioyeva running against 10 other candidates, including Anatoliy Bibilov, who carried the backing of both Kokoity and the Kremlin.

She formed a state council to serve as the new government of South Ossetia, and her supporters took to the streets in protest of the sanctions taken against her.

On December 9, the sides reached an agreement, which includes Kokoity's resignation, with the prime minister Vadim Brovtsev becoming the acting president until the next election is held on March 25, 2012; Dzhioyeva was allowed to contest it.