Montenegro Ruling Blocs Appeal to Court Against President’s Election Call

Montenegrin parliament session in Podgorica. Photo: Parliament of Montenegro

In their appeal to the Constitutional Court, the ruling majority of 41 MPs in the 81-seat parliament claimed that Djukanovic had violated the constitution.

"We call on the court to adopt a temporary measure that will suspend the President's decision until the moment a new head of state is elected in elections due on Sunday," the appeal said.

Presidential elections in Montenegro are due on Sunday March 19, with seven candidates running for office, including the incumbent, Djukanovic.

On Friday, Djukanovic said early elections would end the political agony in the country. "Montenegro needs the normalization of relations as soon as possible. I am convinced that it is possible," he said.

Since the last government, led by Dritan Abazovic, collapsed on August 19, members of the ruling majority that ousted Djukanovic's Democratic Party of Socialists in the 2020 elections have tried repeatedly to form a new government without calling an election.

Lekic was first proposed on September 19, but Djukanovic ignored the proposal despite the signed support of 41 MPs.

The ruling majority on November 1 then adopted a law curbing the President's power, enabling a majority of MPs to propose a prime minister-designate even if the President refuses to propose a candidate. Meanwhile, the opposition appealed to the Constitutional Court over the Presidential Law amendments.

Ex-diplomat Lekic was proposed again in December, but on January 5 he said he could not form a government, as the ruling civic movement URA and the Socialist People's Party, SNP, insisted that he should first present the principles and structure of his cabinet before holding a vote in...