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Ukraine presidential vote called Ukraine presidential vote called
(about 6 hours later)
Ukraine's parliament has voted to hold presidential elections on 25 October.Ukraine's parliament has voted to hold presidential elections on 25 October.
A clear majority backed a resolution on the date for the poll, in which President Viktor Yushchenko hopes to stand for a second five-year term.A clear majority backed a resolution on the date for the poll, in which President Viktor Yushchenko hopes to stand for a second five-year term.
Senior MPs, including the speaker of parliament, had earlier suggested it would take place in January 2010, the end of Mr Yushchenko's current mandate.Senior MPs, including the speaker of parliament, had earlier suggested it would take place in January 2010, the end of Mr Yushchenko's current mandate.
His popularity ratings have sunk in recent months in the wake of a dispute with Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. His popularity ratings have sunk very low amid a deep rivalry with Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.
Political deadlock
The BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse in Kiev says that until Wednesday's vote, most people had expected the next presidential election to be held in mid-January.
That would have given President Yushchenko his full five-year term, as stipulated by the constitution.
Parliament has been unable to forge a consensus on the economic reforms
But presidential polls in Ukraine have traditionally been held on the last Sunday in October, not in January, our correspondent says.
The uncertainty stems from the fact that Mr Yushchenko was elected in January 2005, three months after mass protests at the fraudulent victory of a pro-Moscow candidate, Viktor Yanukovych, in the original vote, he adds.
After 10 days of peaceful but dramatic demonstrations, which became known as the Orange Revolution, a re-run was ordered. Mr Yushchenko won.
Our correspondent says many Ukrainians hope that the sooner the election is out of the way, the sooner politics can return to some sort of normality.
Parliament, for example, has been unable to forge a consensus on the economic reforms demanded by the International Monetary Fund.
No potential candidate wants to be seen to be tightening the belt in the run-up to a vote, but without those reforms the IMF has said it will not release the next instalment of a $16.4bn (£11.4bn) loan that Ukraine badly needs, our correspondent adds.