Serbia's Parliament Speaker Slavica Djukic Dejanovic on Thursday called the presidential elections for 6 May when the country will also the parliamentary, regional and local elections.
The decision to call the presidential elections was made after President Boris Tadic resigned 10 months before the end of his term, clearing the way for joint parliamentary and presidential elections in May when he will run for his second term.
Under the Serbian Constitution, following Tadic's resignation, Parliament Speaker Djukic Dejanovic becomes acting president until the new president steps into office.
Apart from Tadic, the leader of the strongest opposition party - the Serb Progressive Party -- Tomislav Nikolic as well Ivica Dacic from the Socialist Party of Serbia, a partner in the coalition led by Tadic's Democratic Party (DS), are expected to run in the presidential elections. Cedomir Jovanovic of the Liberal Democratic Party seems likely to join them in the race.
At the last presidential polls in 2008, Nikolic won the first round with nearly 40% of the vote and was followed by Tadic with 35%. In the run-off he was defeated by Tadic who won 50.5% of the vote against Nikolic's 47.9%.
Under the country's constitution, the Serbian head of state can only be elected consecutively twice for the five-year tenure.
