Montenegro's pro-EU Europe Now party declares victory in snap election

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) - The Europe Now party led by Montenegro's President Jakov Milatovic declared victory on Sunday in snap elections to choose members of the next legislative assembly.

According to data from the State Election Commission, Europe Now won 25.6% of the vote and 23 seats based on 94.7% of the counted votes.

The head of the party, Milojko Spajic, said they achieved good results and the government would be formed as soon as possible.

The pro-Western Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), which had been in power for decades, along with its traditional ally the Liberal Party (LP), the Albanian Coalition and the Social Democrats won 23.9% of the vote and 22 seats.

Meanwhile, outgoing Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic said his Aleksa and Dritan coalition will not be outside the next government if the country wants a stable government.

''Let's put the national interest before party interest. Europe Now won the elections, so let them form the government,'' he said.

The For the Future of Montenegro coalition won 13 seats with 14.8% of the vote, the Aleksa and Dritan coalition won 12.3% and 11 seats, the Bosniak Party (BS) won 6.8% and six seats, the Socialist People's Party (SNP)-Democratic Alliance (Demos) won 3% and two seats, the Albanian Forum Coalition won 2% and two seats, the Albanian Alliance won 1.5% and one seat, and the Croatian Civic Initiative (HGI) won 0.6% and one seat.

The turnout was 56.7% based on 542,468 registered voters.

Montenegrin voters headed to the polls Sunday to choose members of their next legislative assembly in snap parliamentary elections.

Voters in the small Balkan country with a population of 619,211 determined the members of the 81-seat parliament in the sixth general election since the country transitioned to a multi-party system in 1990.

Fifteen coalitions and parties competed as polls opened at 7 a.m. local time and were set to remain open until 8 p.m.

The early general election was called by former President Milo Djukanovic in the face of a no-confidence vote against the government, led by Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic.

It may finally bring a stable administration after almost three years of constant political turbulence, with two governments ousted, including one led by the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) that was voted out in August 2022, led at the time by Djukanovic.

The economy was in focus for voters as the next government has to deal with high public debt and EU reforms.

Official data shows Montenegro's public debt is 70.77% of gross domestic product (GDP), while annual inflation is at 15%.

-Political crisis

The process of forming a new government, which started after the administration of outgoing Prime Minister Abazovic failed last year's confidence vote, has since devolved into a political crisis.

Abazovic's government caused controversy after signing a "fundamental agreement" with Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Porfirije to give the church an "official status" in Montenegro.

While pro-Serbian parties proposed lawmaker Miodrag Lekic form a new government, Djukanovic refused to give him a mandate on the grounds that he did not fulfill the necessary conditions.

Lekic later received the mandate to form a government after the passage of a law that restricted presidential powers in government formation but fell short of the majority support he needed in parliament.

- EU membership creeping away

Polls suggest that no party or coalition will be able to form a government on its own, with concerns rising that another unstable administration could raise new obstacles in Montenegro's increasingly distant prospects for EU membership.

Voters, on the other hand, want a government without "crises" and a country steadily advancing toward the EU.

General elections are held every four years, according to Montenegrin law, and a party must surpass the 3% electoral threshold to enter the legislature.

According to a 2011 census, Montenegrins and Serbs form the largest ethnic groups in the country, followed by Bosniaks, Albanians, Romanians, Croats and smaller ones.