Serbia faced an uncertain political future May 12 as nationalists and their pro-Western rivals scrambled to forge alliances that would let them take power after bitterly divisive elections.

Serbian President Boris Tadic enjoys a glass of champagne after his alliance claimed victory in elections in Belgrade on May 11. AP PHOTO

At stake was President Boris Tadic's drive to bring the impoverished Balkan country closer to membership in the European Union, and the international community's demand that Serbia bring fugitive war crimes suspects to justice.

"A new and in many ways uncertain phase in the country's political life has begun," said Braca Grubacic, a leading political analyst.

The May 11 vote left Serbia sharply split: Although Tadic's reformist Coalition for a European Serbia got the most votes, it was forced to seek support from minority parties to gain the parliamentary majority needed to form a government.

Meanwhile, far-rightist Tomislav Nikolic's Radical Party, which finished second, met May 12 with nationalist Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica's conservative coalition in an all-out bid to steer Serbia away from the EU and toward traditional ally Russia.

Nikolic and Tadic were courting the late Serbian strongman Slobodan Milosevic's Socialist Party in hopes of piecing together at least 126 seats in the 250-seat Parliament — the minimum needed to form a government.

Grubacic said most Serbs appeared to be siding with the drive toward the EU even though nationalist and anti-Western sentiment abounds.

"Most voters obviously identify the promise of a better life with continuing down the road to the EU," he said.