Posted on 05/20/2012 1:26:37 PM PDT by kronos77
Tomislav Nikolic, nationalist challenger to incumbent and pro-European Serbian President Boris Tadic, has won the presidential run-off vote, according to initial estimates. His party has claimed victory already.
Nationalist presidential hopeful Tomislav Nikolic is leading the residential run-off vote in Serbia with a two-percent lead over pro-European incumbent Boris Tadic, initial estimates by independent election monitor CESID showed.
Nikolic led with 49.4 percent in 70 percent of the polling stations surveyed while Tadic obtained 47.4 percent.
"Serbia has got a new president tonight: Tomislav Nikolic," Aleksandar Vucic of Nikolic's Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) claimed. Nikolic twice lost a run-off to Tadic, in 2004 and 2008.
Low turnout
Many of the 6.7 million eligible voters shunned the polling stations, with turnout at just under 37 percent two hours before they shut at 8 p.m. local time. Observers say this could have benefited Nikolic, because his voters were more likely to go and cast their votes.
Surveys published ahead of the run-off vote had showed Tadic leading with 58 percent of the vote compared to Nikolic's 42 percent.
In the first round of voting on May 6, the incumbent president also polled slightly ahead of Nikolic, a one-time ally of the late Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic. The result led the nationalists to accuse Tadic of fraud, spurning fears of possible violence after Sunday's run-off vote. Serbia's state prosecutor and electoral officials have dismissed the charge.
(Excerpt) Read more at dw.de ...
Ping!
Nationalist Tomislav Nikolic has been elected president of Serbia, beating liberal incumbent Boris Tadic.
Mr Tadic conceded victory after early predictions showed him trailing with 47.4% of the vote, with Mr Nikolic predicted to win 49.4%.
The contest had been seen as a vote on EU membership and the newly-elected president promised that “Serbia will not stray from its European path”.
Good.
According to Nebojsa Malic’s informed opinion, yes.
Even Nikolic supports EU entry for Serbia. But at least he wants to give equal weight to an alliance with Russia.
Serbia’s electoral situation sounds a lot like ours, with Tadic in the role of obama, and “Radical” President-elect Tomislav Nikolic playing the role of a Serbian Mitt Romney. (!!!) Dveri is then placed in the role of our Gingrich/Palin conservative movement.
However, the EU is in REAL trouble. If the EU’s troubles lead to their conclusion, then the horrible prospect of an EU-run Serbia won’t happen after all.
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