Pristina, 10 January 2002 (RFE/RL) -- Ethnic Albanian leader Ibrahim Rugova failed to win enough support to be elected president of Kosovo in the second round of voting in the provincial assembly today. Rugova obtained only 50 votes, failing to win the required two-thirds majority in the 120-seat assembly.
Rugova, whose Democratic League of Kosovo won the legislative election in November, was the sole candidate for the post. He also failed to be elected in a first round last month when deputies from rival ethnic Albanian parties boycotted the vote over a failure to reach a power-sharing agreement. Minority Serbs in the first round cast invalid ballots.
The vote now goes to a third round, in which a simple majority is necessary for election. It is unclear when the third round vote will be held.
Rugova, whose Democratic League of Kosovo won the legislative election in November, was the sole candidate for the post. He also failed to be elected in a first round last month when deputies from rival ethnic Albanian parties boycotted the vote over a failure to reach a power-sharing agreement. Minority Serbs in the first round cast invalid ballots.
The vote now goes to a third round, in which a simple majority is necessary for election. It is unclear when the third round vote will be held.