The end of Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic came, comparatively speaking, with the proverbial whimper. There were massive protests, general strikes and sporadic outbreaks of violence. But there was no cataclysm, no gruesome show trial and execution as was the fate of former Romanian tyrant Nicolae Ceausescu. Instead, there was an extraordinary display of "people power," a courageous and principled attempt by the people of Yugoslavia to regain control of their lives and their country. It is a triumph for democracy; now the rest of the world must help the Yugoslav people consolidate their victory and build a peaceful, prosperous and democratic future.
In the end, Mr. Milosevic miscalculated. He gambled that the Serb opposition could not unite behind a single candidate. On Sept. 24, he was proved wrong. Opponents of the government rallied behind Mr. Vojislav Kostunica, a constitutional lawyer turned politician, to defeat Mr. Milosevic. The president's efforts to suppress the result sparked massive demonstrations that culminated in Mr. Milosevic's acceptance of defeat Friday night. The opposition has set up a crisis committee to run the country during the transition period, and prepare Mr. Kostunica's inauguration and Parliamentary elections.
Mr. Milosevic's resignation gives Yugoslavia the chance to make a new beginning. Belgrade can end its international isolation and retake its place at the heart of Europe. Formerly the most advanced economy among Eastern European nations, 13 years of rule by Mr. Milosevic dismembered the country, reduced its citizens to poverty and created a kleptocracy run by a corrupt bureaucracy and organized crime.