Tomislav Nikolic, a leader of the Serbian Radical Party, was elected to the highly influential position -- second in line behind the president -- thanks to the votes of the conservative party of the outgoing Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica.

Nikolic received 142 votes out of 244 lawmakers present at a parliamentary session that lasted nearly 15 hours. A candidate of the pro-Western Democratic Party, Milena Milosevic, received 99 votes.

The election made Nikolic the first Serbian nationalist to get a top job since Slobodan Milosevic was ousted from power in 2000 in a popular pro-Western revolt.

The Japan Times Weekly: May 12, 2007
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