The parliament of Moldova was unable to elect the country's president Friday when neither of the two candidates succeeded in garnering a majority of votes in the first round.
Moldovan Communist Party leader, General Vladimir Voronin, collected 48 votes in the controversial ballot.
His main rival, Constitutional Court president Pavel Barbalat picked up 37 of the votes, while 15 of the ballots were ruled to be invalid.
A candidate needed at least 61 votes to be declared president in the nation's first indirect vote for the head of state.
A new round of voting must now be held within five days, with two further ballots possible should neither candidate succeed in winning a majority.
Incumbent President Petru Lucinschi boycotted the parliamentary ballot in protest at the decision not to hold a national election -- CHISINAU (AFP)
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