Montenegro
Politics

Since the breakup of the political union of Serbia and Montenegro in 2006, Montenegro has been an independent, sovereign state.

Montenegro is a parliamentary representative democratic republic with a codified constitution established in 2007. The constitution describes Montenegro as a " civic, democratic, ecological state of social justice, based on the reign of Law ". Montenegro is a multi-party system.

The President of Montenegro is the representative head of state, elected for a period of five years through direct election. The President promotes the country internationally through diplomatic engagements, promulgates laws by ordinance, calls elections for the Parliament, and ceremonially proposes candidates for Prime Minister, president and justices of the Constitutional Court to the Parliament. The President also ceremonially proposes the calling of a referendum to Parliament, grants amnesty for criminal offences prescribed by the national law, confers decoration and awards and performs other constitutional duties and is a member of the Supreme Defence Council. The official residence of the President is in Cetinje. The incumbent president is Jakov Milatović who has held the position since May 2023.

The Government of Montenegro is the executive branch of government authority of Montenegro and led by the Prime Minister. The role of Prime Minister is the most politically powerful office in Montenegro. All of Montenegro's governments since 2006 have been coalitions comprising a minimum of three political parties. The government is primarily based in Podgorica.

The Parliament of Montenegro is the country's unicameral legislature, located in Podgorica. The Parliament has power to appoint the government, pass legislation (parliamentary law) and scrutinise bills (proposed parliamentary law). It also appoints justices of all courts, approves the budget and performs other duties as established by the country's Constitution. Parliament can pass a motion of no confidence in the Government by simple majority vote. One member of the Montenegrin parliament, known as a Deputy, is elected per 6,000 voters. There are currently 81 deputies. Elections to the Parliament are conducted by the D'Hondt method, a form of proportional representation.

In 2019, Montenegro was described as a hybrid regime (a political system which combines democratic and authoritarian features) according to the United States -based Freedom House. The organisation cited state capture, abuse of power, and strongman tactics by Prime Minister Milo Đukanović (2008–2010 and 2012–2016) as explanations for its description as such. Đukanović held a number of senior government positions, including the Presidency, before and after the dissolution of the union between Serbia and Montenegro. In 2021, the Economist Democracy Index (EDI) declared Montenegro as a "flawed democracy" and as of 2023, it remains regarded as such by the EDI.

Đukanović 's pro-European and pro-NATO Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) narrowly lost the 2020 parliamentary election which ended the party's 30-year rule and the pro-Serbia " For the Future of Montenegro " (ZBCG) parliamentary group, composed mainly of Serb nationalist parties, formed a government under Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic. Prime Minister Krivokapic's government was toppled in a no-confidence vote after just 14 months in power.

In April 2022, a new minority government, led by Prime Minister Dritan Abazović, brought together moderate parties that are both pro-European and pro-Serb. However, his government lost a confidence vote after only 113 days. Since Montenegro had been unable to find a government which could command the confidence of the Parliament, Abazović remained in his post until the Spajić Cabinet had been formed after the Parliamentary election which took place on 11 June 2023, where the Europe Now! party led by Milojko Spajić won the most seats. In October 2023, a new minority government with confidence and supply support from ZBCG enabled Milojko Spajić to become the new prime minister.
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