Ukrainian president Viktor Yushchenko today abandoned the search for a coalition to take over from the current "orange" government, dissolved parliament and called an early election to the chamber.
"I hereby declare the activities of ... parliament to be suspended and call an early parliamentary election," Yushchenko said in a recorded television address to the nation. "The vote will take place in democratic and lawful fashion."
Mr Yushchenko has long been at odds with prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, his ally from the 2004 "Orange Revolution" that swept him to power. He has paid scant heed to her calls to patch up differences and reinstate their parties' coalition.
The president blamed Ms Tymoshenko for the collapse of the "orange" team and said he had received no proposals as of today to piece together a viable coalition.
"I am convinced, deeply convinced that the democratic coalition was ruined by one thing alone -- human ambition. The ambition of one person," he said in his address, shown on television while he was making a visit to Italy.
"Thirst for power, different values, personal interests taking precedence over national interests."
He gave no date for the election, the third in as many years in the ex-Soviet state gripped by continuous political turmoil since the mass protests of 2004.
The constitution provides for an election to take place no more than 60 days after dissolution -- making December 7th a possible date.
Mr Yushchenko had earlier met party leaders in Kiev and given them more time to find a way to restore or replace the "orange" team and avert a new election.
His Our Ukraine party quit its alliance with Ms Tymoshenko's bloc on September 3rd -- after Ms Tymoshenko had formed a tactical voting alliance with ex-premier Viktor Yanukovich and approved legislation cutting presidential powers.
The differences between the two leaders focus on a longstanding debate over how to divide up powers in Ukraine and the president's allegations that Ms Tymoshenko has been too soft on Russia in its conflict with Georgia.
Reuters