Montenegro's ruling party DSP leads poll but opposition could form majority

Official results of the Montenegro election show the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists held a narrow lead after a tight election, but the ruling party could be ousted from power for the first time in three decades if opposition parties unite. According to the state electoral commission of Montenegro, the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) won 35 percent of the vote, followed by 32.5 percent for the main pro-Serb opposition alliance and 98 percent ballots counted from the August 30 election.

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The Balkan country is led by President Milo Djukanovic for three decades since Yugoslavia was dismantled in the early 1990s. On August 31, the Democratic Party of Socialist said it would respect the election results, but claimed that DSP is the strongest party in Montenegro. On the other hand leader of the pro-Serbian coalition, Zdravko Krivokapic, while interacting with supporters said, the current government has fallen.

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The election marked by a dispute

According to international media reports, the August 30 election was largely marked by a dispute over a law on religious rights introduced in late 2019 that is staunchly opposed by the influential Serbian Orthodox Church. The church has argued the law, that allows the government to confiscate its property as a prelude to setting up a separate church. This has been denied by the government. Sinisa Vukovic, a senior lecturer at the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University, said that the row over ownership of church property and the election more generally -was about two competing visions for what Montenegro is, and where it is going.

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The Socialists and their leader, Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic, have faced accusations of autocratic rule, widespread graft, and criminal links.  President Djukanovic on August 30, said that before the vote closed that the results would determine whether Montenegro will continue toward membership in the European Union or allow Serbia and Russia to install their stooges.

(With inputs from AP) (Image-AP)

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