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| Tough talks loom after Serb polls | Tough talks loom after Serb polls |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Results from Serbia's elections point to a triumph for President Boris Tadic's pro-European Union bloc. | Results from Serbia's elections point to a triumph for President Boris Tadic's pro-European Union bloc. |
| Mr Tadic claimed victory, with his bloc set to win nearly 40% of the vote, but he may need the support of at least one nationalist party for a majority. | Mr Tadic claimed victory, with his bloc set to win nearly 40% of the vote, but he may need the support of at least one nationalist party for a majority. |
| The European Union has welcomed what it called a clear victory for pro-European forces in the parliamentary elections. | The European Union has welcomed what it called a clear victory for pro-European forces in the parliamentary elections. |
| The nationalist Radical Party, though, insists that it could still head a coalition forming the next government. | The nationalist Radical Party, though, insists that it could still head a coalition forming the next government. |
| Ultra-nationalist leader Tomislav Nikolic said he would have talks with parties which were close ideologically. | Ultra-nationalist leader Tomislav Nikolic said he would have talks with parties which were close ideologically. |
| Formation of the new government could take up to three months, analysts warn. | Formation of the new government could take up to three months, analysts warn. |
| Kosovo | Kosovo |
| With nearly 98% of votes counted, Mr Tadic's For a European Serbia alliance had 38.75%, followed by Mr Nikolic's Radicals on 29.2%, the State Electoral Commission said. | |
| In a victory speech, President Tadic said the Serbian people had in effect given their approval to the country's future membership of the EU, with whom a long-delayed agreement was signed just before the election. | In a victory speech, President Tadic said the Serbian people had in effect given their approval to the country's future membership of the EU, with whom a long-delayed agreement was signed just before the election. |
| ELECTION RESULTS Tadic bloc: 38.75%, 102 seatsRadicals: 29.2%, 77 seatsKostunica bloc: 11.3%, 30 seatsSocialist bloc: 7.6%, 20 seatsLiberal Democrats: 5.3%, 14 seatsEthnic minorities: 2.3%, seven seatsTotal seats: 250. Parties forming a coalition need to have at least 126 between themSource: State Electoral Commission, based on nearly 98% of votes Mardell's Europe: Serbian election | |
| "The citizens of Serbia have undoubtedly confirmed a clear European path", he said, adding: "It is necessary to form a government as soon as possible". | "The citizens of Serbia have undoubtedly confirmed a clear European path", he said, adding: "It is necessary to form a government as soon as possible". |
| But he also vowed that a new government led by his Democratic Party would not recognise Serbia's breakaway province of Kosovo as an independent state. | But he also vowed that a new government led by his Democratic Party would not recognise Serbia's breakaway province of Kosovo as an independent state. |
| Mr Tadic faces the challenge of finding stable partners for his already complex three-party coalition without making too many political concessions, the BBC's Ivana Miloradovic reports. | Mr Tadic faces the challenge of finding stable partners for his already complex three-party coalition without making too many political concessions, the BBC's Ivana Miloradovic reports. |
| Even with the support of Hungarian, Muslim and Albanian minority parties and the small Liberal Democrats - the only party ready to recognise the independence of Kosovo - his coalition falls short of the necessary majority. | Even with the support of Hungarian, Muslim and Albanian minority parties and the small Liberal Democrats - the only party ready to recognise the independence of Kosovo - his coalition falls short of the necessary majority. |
| The previous government fell over the issue of how to react when most EU countries recognised the independence of Kosovo. | The previous government fell over the issue of how to react when most EU countries recognised the independence of Kosovo. |
| Coalition | Coalition |
| The Radicals' leader said he planned to meet both the Democratic Party of Serbia of outgoing Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica and the Socialists - the party of the late Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic. | The Radicals' leader said he planned to meet both the Democratic Party of Serbia of outgoing Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica and the Socialists - the party of the late Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic. |
| There is a big chance that the Radicals will be able to form a coalition with Kostunica and the Socialists - and that will be disastrous for Serbia Dragan, Belgrade class="" href="/1/hi/world/europe/7396363.stm">Serb poll: Readers' reaction | |
| Theoretically, the three parties could form a coalition with a wafer-thin majority in parliament. | Theoretically, the three parties could form a coalition with a wafer-thin majority in parliament. |
| Either the three parties would form a coalition, Mr Nikolic said, or Serbia would "not have a government at all and [would] have to go to new elections". | Either the three parties would form a coalition, Mr Nikolic said, or Serbia would "not have a government at all and [would] have to go to new elections". |
| Mr Kostunica said after the election that he was open to talks with the Radicals. | Mr Kostunica said after the election that he was open to talks with the Radicals. |
| "It's too early to say anything specific, but I hope that we will be one of the main players in the formation of the new government," he added. | "It's too early to say anything specific, but I hope that we will be one of the main players in the formation of the new government," he added. |
| Parties have a legal deadline of three months to reach agreement. | Parties have a legal deadline of three months to reach agreement. |
| International isolation | International isolation |
| Ironically, the key player that could make or break any future coalition seems to be the Socialists. | Ironically, the key player that could make or break any future coalition seems to be the Socialists. |
| The party responsible for the country's international isolation under Milosevic has reinvented itself as an advocate of social justice and attracts many young, often poor or unemployed voters. | The party responsible for the country's international isolation under Milosevic has reinvented itself as an advocate of social justice and attracts many young, often poor or unemployed voters. |
| Mr Kostunica's coalition would be a less desirable partner for the pro-EU bloc and the political cost of attracting it back into a new government could prove to be too high. | Mr Kostunica's coalition would be a less desirable partner for the pro-EU bloc and the political cost of attracting it back into a new government could prove to be too high. |
| A statement from the EU's Slovenian presidency welcomed a "clear victory" for pro-European forces, and said it hoped they would quickly form a government | A statement from the EU's Slovenian presidency welcomed a "clear victory" for pro-European forces, and said it hoped they would quickly form a government |
| Serbs in Kosovo also voted, both in the general election and in council elections, in defiance of the ethnic Albanian government and international authorities. | Serbs in Kosovo also voted, both in the general election and in council elections, in defiance of the ethnic Albanian government and international authorities. |
| Some 300 polling stations opened in areas with a sizeable Serb population and the vote passed off peacefully. | Some 300 polling stations opened in areas with a sizeable Serb population and the vote passed off peacefully. |
| However, even before the polls closed, the United Nations mission issued a statement condemning the council elections as illegal and saying the results would not be recognised. | |
| Are you in Serbia? What's your reaction to the election result? Send us your comments by filling out the form below. | Are you in Serbia? What's your reaction to the election result? Send us your comments by filling out the form below. |