Preliminary Result Shows Montenegro's President Reelected

Presidential candidates Miodrag Lekic (left) and Filip Vujanovic each claimed victory in the presidential election.

Montenegro's electoral body says President Filip Vujanovic was reelected with 51.2 percent in that country's weekend election.

The state electoral commission said on April 8 that, with 100 percent of votes counted, opposition challenger Miodrag Lekic trailed with 48.8 percent.

Lekic claimed to have won after polls closed, and his Democratic Front says it will not accept a third term for Vujanovic.

Observers have said that the election for the largely ceremonial post "generally met OSCE commitments."

With both sides claiming victory, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe had urged the two candidates to leave it to the electoral commission to determine the results.

Montenegro hopes to join NATO and the European Union some day.

Only 327,000 ballots were cast in the election.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP