Yugoslav leader to run in new poll

The election has to be rerun because of low turnout

Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica has announced he will be a candidate in the December re-run of Serbia's presidential poll, which failed last month because of low turnout.

I am not giving up, I will keep fighting for my political programme and, what is more important, for the building of institutions

President Vojislav Kostunica

President Kostunica, who easily won the biggest share of the vote, tried to have the result declared valid in a court case, but failed.

His chief rival, Miroljub Labus, has said he will not run again, which leaves the door open for former nationalist paramilitary leader Vojislav Seselj.

Hardliner Seselj - who took 23% of the first-round votes in the original election - is hoping to do even better this time, analysts say.

BBC Belgrade correspondent Matthew Price says that while no-one in Serbia believes he can beat Mr Kostunica, there are many who feel his candidacy does nothing for the image of the one-time pariah state.

Last month's attempt to elect a new president failed because turnout dropped below the 50% level required under Serbian law.

That requirement was scrapped by parliament this week.

Candidates have until 17 November to register for the election due to be held on 8 December.

If no candidate gets a clear majority, then a second round is scheduled for a fortnight later.

Current Serbian President Milan Milutinovic finishes his term in early January.

He is expected to then be handed over to the UN war crimes tribunal in The Hague to answer charges over the Kosovo conflict in 1998-99.

Vojislav Kostunica's job as Yugoslav president is due to disappear in the coming months as the Yugoslav federation is being replaced by a looser union between its two republics.

The the new union will also have a presidency, but it may be largely ceremonilal.

Rule attacked

The 50% rule - introduced by ousted leader Slobodan Milosevic - was attacked after the October poll failure by the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), which monitored the elections.

The OSCE said the law allowed minor parties to call on their supporters to boycott elections, which undermined voter confidence.

The low turnout was blamed on disillusionment among Serbia's voters - who took to the streets in their thousands to oust Mr Milosevic, but were thought to have become disappointed with the political bickering among his successors.