Tadic Steps Down As Serbian Opposition Leader

Boris Tadic

Serbia's former President Boris Tadic has announced he is stepping down as head of the Democratic Party, the country's largest opposition group.

Tadic's announcement after a meeting of the party's leadership comes after he and his party lost presidential and parliamentary elections earlier this year to their main rivals, the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) and its leader Tomislav Nikolic.

The pro-Western Tadic is likely to be replaced as the leader of the Democrats by Dragan Djilas, the current mayor of Belgrade.

The party is expected to elect its new leader at a convention on November 25.

During his eight-year presidency, Tadic helped Serbia reconcile with neighbors Croatia and Bosnia and led it closer to the European Union.

But he failed to curtail the country's rampant corruption and economic decline.
Based on reporting by AP and dpa