Montenegro’s Next Govt Will be Fragile Despite Election Win

An opposition bloc led by the Democratic Party of Socialists, DPS, which was swept from power in 2020 after three decades of uninterrupted rule, came second with 23.8 per cent of votes.

The pro-Serbian For the Future of Montenegro won 14.7 per cent, while the centrist coalition of URA and Democratic Montenegro, led by outgoing Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic and former parliament speaker Aleksa Becic, took 12.3 per cent.

According to exit polls the Bosniak Party took 6.9 per cent, while the Albanian Forum, Albanian Alliance, Croatian Civic Initiative and pro-Serbian Socialistic Peoples Party all passed the threshold to enter parliament.

Besic said the new government should expect challenging times, stressing it could be hard to secure a majority to enact promised political and economic reforms.

"There are too many actors in the potential government and also tension in their relationships. The future government will scarcely last three years, but in the meantime all its constituents will try to create results for the next elections," Besic said.

"People like stability and if the government can't provide it, their chances in snap elections are bad," he added.

Long way for Political Stability

Belgrade University professor Milos Besic at the press conference in Podgorica. Photo: PR Centar

Since the last parliamentary elections in August 2020, when the long ruling DPS was ousted, the small Adriatic country has endured almost constant political turbulence and two governments have been ousted.

Since last September, Europe Now, led by former Finance Minister Milojko Spajic, quickly emerged as a political rising star, focusing on the economy and reforms.

Last October, Europe Now won mayoral...