Third party the All Bermuda Congress (ABC) might not fight the coming election, says leader Khalid Wasi, after realising support is not there.

And he claimed potential candidates had been scared away by intimidation from the two main parties.

The ABC, which campaigns on voters' rights, had once planned to supplant the Opposition United Bermuda Party which it said was on the decline.

More recently the movement had aimed to win a few seats to get the balance of power in the next parliament with Mr. Wasi once claiming up to 15 individuals wanted to stand.

But Mr. Wasi said he was not interested in making a symbolic gesture. "We are trying to determine whether or not our strategy is viable at all at this time."

If an election was called tomorrow he said the ABC would field no candidates and he said support from the ten to 15 potential candidates was on the wane because of a climate of fear. He said: "They are rational and sane. They don't like the rough, aggressive intimidatory atmosphere prevailing in our society."

Asked for examples he said economic threats were being practised by both parties but he declined to give examples.