Ukraine's president sets Dec. 7 date for election

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko set a Dec. 7 date for new parliamentary elections Thursday after dissolving the legislature following failed efforts to replace his shattered pro-Western coalition.

The decision was likely to deepen political turbulence in the former Soviet republic, with estranged ally Yulia Tymoshenko's camp and some members of Yushchenko's own party vowing to challenge the move.

The dissolution of parliament Wednesday marked a tactical victory for Yushchenko in a fierce power struggle with Tymoshenko, his partner in the 2004 Orange Revolution who has fought to keep her job as prime minister.

Both leaders have turned into rivals before the 2010 presidential vote.

The parliamentary vote will be the third in as many years, adding to debilitating political turmoil in a country battered by the global financial crisis.

Opinion polls indicate that Yushchenko's party is likely to lose parliamentary seats in the December vote. Tymoshenko, who has fought to revive their coalition and retain power as prime minister, says the president's only motive for dissolving parliament is to remove her from her job.

Tymoshenko has said dissolving parliament before late November is unconstitutional and has vowed to challenge the decision. Her party has threatened protests.

Tymoshenko has also suggested holding a new presidential election alongside any early parliamentary vote, hinting that she would run.

Yushchenko accused Tymoshenko of betraying the country for the sake of her personal gains and said the early vote was a way to preserve democracy and national interests.

Yushchenko pulled out of the nine-month-old coalition with Tymoshenko last month, after she sided with the opposition to adopt a series of laws that trim his powers. Yushchenko has also accused Tymoshenko of selling out to Russia.

Yushchenko has harshly criticized Russia for its August war in Georgia and assailed Tymoshenko for her reluctance to condemn Moscow's actions. Tymoshenko says she opposed the war, but calls for balanced ties with Russia.

Yushchenko's decision was likely to plunge the nation into further chaos.

He has asked parliament to pass a series of laws Thursday needed to hold the election, but it was unclear whether that would be done. Many lawmakers, including some from Yushchenko's party, said they would refuse to vote in protest.

Lawmaker Andriy Shkil said Tymoshenko's party would challenge Yushchenko's decision in the Constitutional Court, though another party member later said that move was still under discussion.

Yuriy Karmazin, a member of the pro-presidential party, condemned Yushchenko's decision and said he would initiate a vote-of-confidence referendum on Yushchenko.