Is The Political Crisis In Montenegro About To Be Resolved?

The longest-ruling European leader, Montenegrin President Milo Đukanović, lost presidential elections after more than 30 years in power.

4 April 2023

Jan Farfal and Vukan Marković

Montenegro is entering uncharted waters after its 30-year ruler had to step down. Since Milo Đukanović’s party lost the parliamentary elections in 2020, Montenegro has been plunged into a deep political crisis, marred by competing national identities, corruption, crime, abuse of power and political instability. Yet, some of these issues can be resolved with this major opening in Montenegrin politics.

In its coverage of the presidential elections in Montenegro, the BBC described the expected results: a pro-Western long-term incumbent, President Milo Đukanović, was defeated by centrist Jakov Milatovic, who was in turn supported by parties close to Serbia, Russia and the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Similar to other Western media coverage, this narrative, albeit simplified here, is indicative of why the West tolerated more than the problematic reign of Europe’s longest ruler. Milo Đukanović has been the undisputed paramount leader of Montenegro for 32 years, much longer than Lukashenka’s reign in Belarus.

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