KIEV, Ukraine - The Supreme Court declared the results of Ukraine's disputed presidential run-off election invalid on Friday and ruled that the run-off should be repeated on Dec. 26, bringing cheers and fireworks from tens of thousands of opposition supporters massed in Kiev's main square.
The ruling, made after five days of hearings by the court's 18 justices, was a major victory for opposition leader Viktor Yushchenko, who had rejected the government's demands that an entirely new election be held.
The opposition had pinned its hopes on the court's ruling in its bid to overturn the results of the Nov. 21 run-off vote in which Prime Minister Viktor Yanukovych was declared the winner. The opposition said the vote was rigged to cheat Yushchenko of victory.
The court decision was a blow to outgoing President Leonid Kuchma — faced with a spiraling political crisis that undermined his hopes to ensure he is succeeded by a supporter. Kuchma had been pressing for an entirely new election, apparently in hopes of replacing Yanukovych with a stronger candidate.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=1&u=/ap/20041203/ap_on_re_eu/ukraine_election_11
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