Montenegro
early parliamentary elections
22/04/2001
Source: International Crisis Group
Montenegro
Election Summary
Montenegro held parliamentary elections on 22 April 2001. The pre-election campaign was dominated by a heated debate over the republic’s relationship to Serbia, Montenegro’s only partner in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY). Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic openly advocated independence during the campaign, pledging to call a referendum on the republic’s final status if his ruling coalition was re-elected. A pro-Yugoslav bloc was created to combat the aspirations of the independence-minded parties.
Djukanovic’s pro-independence Victory is Montenegro’s coalition emerged from the election with a narrow victory, but the results did not indicate overwhelming support for independence. After a period of extensive negotiations, Djukanovic’s Victory is Montenegro’s coalition created a minority government with the support of the Liberal Alliance (LA), whose deputies are strongly in favour of independence. LA has based it support on the condition that the new government make rapid progress towards a referendum.
Note:
Victory is Montenegro’s is a pro-independence coalition composed of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) and the Social Democratic Party of Montenegro (SDP).
Together for Yugoslavia is a pro-Yugoslav coalition composed of the Socialist People’s Party (SNP), The People’s Party (NS) and Serbian People’s Party (SNS).
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