CHISINAU (Reuters) - Moldova was set to take another shot at ending a two-year political deadlock and electing a president on December 16 when a centre-left politician, who has already stood twice and failed, officially re-registered as a candidate.

The small ex-Soviet republic elects its head of state by parliament, not by popular vote, but its last attempt to choose a president on November 18 failed because the governing pro-Europe coalition could not come up with an agreed candidate.