Parties in Serbia’s deeply divided government agreed to hold elections again in May to choose whether to continue pursuing European Union integration or sever ties because of the EU’s supporting Kosovo’s declaration of independence three weeks ago.

Vojislav Kostunica, the nationalist-leaning prime minister, called at the weekend for the early elections, saying his coalition government with pro-EU parties could no longer function amid differences over how to react to the EU’s declining to confirm Serbia’s sovereignty over the breakaway province.