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Hardliner elected Serbia speaker Hardliner elected Serbia speaker
(about 5 hours later)
A leader of Serbia's hardline Radical party has been elected to the powerful post of parliamentary speaker. A leader of Serbia's nationalist Radical Party has been elected to the powerful post of parliamentary speaker.
Tomislav Nikolic was elected with support from outgoing Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica's conservatives.Tomislav Nikolic was elected with support from outgoing Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica's conservatives.
The conservatives and a pro-Western party had earlier failed to agree on a coalition that excluded the Radicals, which won most seats in recent polls. The vote deepens a crisis caused by January elections, when the Radicals became the largest party in parliament.
The Radicals reject closer ties with the EU and Nato and co-operation with the war crimes tribunal in The Hague. Coalition talks aimed at creating a new government have so far failed, and fresh elections will be called unless a deal is reached by 14 May.
Correspondents say Mr Nikolic's election could mark a return to the isolationist nationalism of former Serb leader Slobodan Milosevic, who spearheaded the Balkan wars of the 1990s. The BBC's Nick Hawton in Belgrade says the big question now is whether the Radical Party can go one more step and form part of the next government, which could have serious implications for Serbia's relations with the outside world.
Under the Serb constitution, the speaker is the second most powerful official after the president. Kosovo and Mladic
'You are history' Some Serbian newspapers interpreted the deal as a sign that new elections were now inevitable, with some analysts predicting a bigger vote for the Radical Party.
Mr Nikolic won 142 votes from the 244 lawmakers present during a marathon 15-hour debate to nominate a speaker. The future belongs to us, and you are history Aleksander Vucic, Radical Party Coalition negotiations between Mr Kostunica's party and President Boris Tadic's pro-European Democratic Party collapsed at the weekend, over Mr Kostunica's determination to retain control of the interior ministry and the intelligence services.
A rival candidate from the pro-Western Democratic Party of President Boris Tadic won 99 votes. Both are politically crucial departments as Serbia deals with tough problems such as the status of Kosovo, and co-operation with the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague.
Talks between Mr Tadic and Mr Kostunica's parties over forming a coalition government broke down over the weekend. The failure of Mr Kostunica's government to arrest war crimes suspect Gen Ratko Mladic and hand him to the UN war crimes tribunal prompted the European Union to suspend talks on an association pact with Serbia last year.
Both sides blamed each other for failing to reach an agreement that would keep the Radicals out of power. It is expected that Kosovo will become independent in the coming weeks, either through a resolution of the UN Security Council or as a result of a unilateral declaration by the Kosovo parliament.
During coalition talks, Mr Kostunica was keen to remain the leader of any new government. Correspondents say this could increase support for the Radical Party in any repeat election, which must be held by mid-July.
His party came third in an election in January which saw the Radicals emerge as the single strongest party, with Mr Tadic's party in second place. 'Dark days'
"The future belongs to us, and you are history," Radical Party lawmaker Aleksander Vucic said in parliament, apparently addressing the Democratic Party. The parliamentary vote makes Mr Nikolic, the deputy leader of the Radical Party, the third most powerful figure in Serbia after the president and the prime minister.
A pro-Western lawmaker said in turn that Serbia had taken a step back "to the dark days of Milosevic's reign". He won 142 votes from the 244 deputies present during a marathon 15-hour debate, while a rival candidate from the Democratic Party won 99 votes.
Serbian leaders must reach agreement on a new government by 14 May to avoid another election. "The future belongs to us, and you are history," Radical Party deputy Aleksander Vucic said, apparently addressing the Democratic Party.
A pro-Western deputy said in turn that Serbia had taken a step back "to the dark days of Milosevic's reign".
It was only the second sitting of parliament since January's election.
Mr Nikolic said his party's collaboration with Mr Kostunica's party applied to the parliament only, and that no deals had been cut on other issues, such as the formation of a government.
The Radical Party's leader, Vojislav Seselj, is awaiting a fresh start of his trial on war crimes charges in The Hague.