Moldova’s parliament has failed to elect a new president – increasing the possibility the country will have to hold a new general election.
The last election sparked violent scenes as protesters claimed the Communist Party victory was fraudulent.
The Communists needed 61 votes in the 101-seat parliament to elect their candidate Zinaida Greceanii – but only mustered 60 amid an opposition boycott.

Violent protests, accusations of fraud, and a forced recount following Moldova’s election in early April were to little avail for demonstrators. The April 22 recount confirmed the Communist Party’s win announced on election day, April 5. Moldovans’ resistance to the initial outcome comes as little surprise, as Gallup has consistently found a majority of Moldovans lacking confidence in the honesty of their elections — including 59% in the most recent survey.

Voters in Mongolia are preparing to head to the polls in an election that is expected to see a closely-fought race for the presidency.
Sunday’s vote across the vast land-locked country pits Nambaryn Enkhbayar, the incumbent president and leader of the Mongolian People’ Revolutionary party (MPRP), against opposition leader, Elbegdorj Tsakhia, of the Democratic Party.
Local media reports suggest that Enkhbayar is expected to win the election but with a slim majority.
He has promised to be tough on law and order and continue government support for his party’s rural base, while …

Germany’s federal president is not chosen through a popular vote. Instead, a special committee formed for the sole purpose of choosing the president votes in the next officeholder.
The Federal Assembly only gathers for the election of the president. It is made up of all the members of the Bundestag – the German parliament – and an equal number of representatives chosen by Germany’s 16 states. The 2009 Assembly will have 1,224 members: 612 members of parliament, and 612 state representatives.

Voters in Cayman Islands have approved a new constitution that would allow the territory to gain more autonomy from Britain.
Elections officials say about 7,000 people approved the changes while 4,000 rejected them. There are more than 15,000 registered voters.
British officials will review the draft charter before issuing final approval.

South Korean ex-President Roh Moo-hyun, who apparently jumped to his death on Saturday, rose to office as champion of a generation that hit the streets to fight for democracy, but left it largely written off as a failed leader.
A self-taught lawyer whose formal education ended at high school, Roh’s most celebrated moment came when he went to Pyongyang in 2007 for a summit with Kim Jong-il in what was only the second meeting of leaders of the divided peninsula.
The left-leaning Roh, 62, won the 2002 presidential election by riding a …

Veteran Lib Dem Sir Alan Beith has become the first MP to declare an interest in replacing Michael Martin as House of Commons Speaker.
Sir Alan, who was in the running for the post in 2000, told BBC News he would stand if he had enough support.
He added that he had “started to get indications of that from people in at least three parties”.
Earlier, Mr Martin announced he would stand down amid pressure over his handling of MPs expenses.
He told the Commons he would relinquish his post on 21 June, …