The centre-left Socialist Party of Serbia emerged as potential king-makers on Monday after general elections in which neither pro-EU nor right-wing populist camps clinched clear victory.
The governing pro-EU Democratic Party saw their support plummet to 23 per cent in Sunday's ballot - down from 38 per cent in 2008 - while Tomislav Nikolic's populist Serbian Progress Party (SNS) finished with 24 per cent.
The Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) garnered 14.5 per cent, double its previous tally and its best result since the ousting of party founder Slobodan Milosevic in 2000.
Interior Minister and SPS president Ivica Dacic said he will now seek to be PM as the price of support for the incumbent Democrats or SNS.
"Whoever wants to talk to us will have to understand that we have risen from the ashes," Mr Dacic declared.
The Socialist leader has vowed to call a halt to previous administrations' privatisation drive and increase pensions.
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