The likely winner is Milo Djukanovic, who has led the government as prime minister and president of the Democratic Party of Socialists.

Today, Montenegrins will head to the polls for presidential elections.

The likely winner is Milo Djukanovic, who has led the government as prime minister six times since 1991 and was president from 1998-2002. He is president of the Democratic Party of Socialists that currently holds a strong plurality of parliamentary seats. Djukanovic oversaw Montenegro’s application and invitation to join NATO in 2016, to which pro-Russian Montenegrins reacted with a coup attempt before the legislative elections that year.

Electing Djukanovic puts into question a historically strong relationship between the small Balkan state and Russia along with domestic social stability. As Montenegro has joined the West in sanctioning Russia over its annexation of Crimea and recently expelled a Russian diplomat given Britain’s nerve agent attack, Russia may need to rethink its strategies in the Balkans if it seeks to maintain influence. Additionally, sceptics of Djukanovic resent him for prioritising pro-Western strategies, such as setting sights on joining the European Union, over social programme development that has left the country with a 20% unemployment rate and rising rates of organised crime. His election will consequently please the West while exacerbating tensions with a disillusioned opposition.</s>PODGORICA, Montenegro – Montenegro’s ruling Democratic Party of Socialists has declared party leader Milo Djukanovic the winner of the presidential election.

Party official Milos Nikolic said Sunday that “Milo Djukanovic is the new president of Montenegro.” He added that “this is a great victory, a historic victory.”

After counting nearly 90 percent of the ballots, the independent Center for Monitoring and Research say Djukanovic won about 53 percent of the vote while his main opponent, Mladen Bojanic, won 33 percent.

The victory is a major boost for Djukanovic, who defied Russia to take his country into NATO last year.

The vote, the first since Montenegro joined the Western military alliance in December, was seen as a test for Djukanovic, who favors European integration over closer ties to traditional ally Moscow.

Djukanovic, the country’s dominant politician, and his Democratic Party of Socialists have ruled Montenegro for nearly 30 years.

About 530,000 voters were choosing among several candidates in the Adriatic Sea nation that used to be part of Yugoslavia.

Djukanovic was prime minister during a tense October 2016 parliamentary election when authorities said they thwarted a pro-Russian coup attempt designed to prevent the country from joining NATO.

He led Montenegro to independence from much-larger Serbia in 2006 and was behind the NATO bid. He hopes next to steer the country into the European Union.</s>Montenegro’s former prime minister and president, Milo Djukanovic is heading for a victory in Sunday’s presidential polls in Montenegro, with 57.6% of votes, Cemi agency said after counting nine percent of ballots, TASS reported.

Djukanovic is followed by opposition candidate Mladlen Bojanic, with 33.9% of votes. Next are the only woman candidate Draginja Vuksanovic (four percent), and the leader of the Real Montenegro party, Marko Milacic (3.4%).

Montenegro’s presidential office was contested by seven candidates. According opinion polls, the frontrunners were Djukanovic and Bojanic, the single opposition candidate. A runoff vote was anticipated but now it looks like Djukanovic can win in the first round of voting.</s>Preliminary projections show six-time prime minister and onetime president Milo Djukanovic as the winner of Montenegro's presidential election.

The Center for Election Monitoring (CeMI) projected Djukanovic winning over 53 percent of the vote, which would give him an outright victory in Sunday's election.

Based on the projection, Montenegro's ruling party declared its leader the winner.

"Milo Djukanovic is the new president of Montenegro,'' said Milos Nikolic of the Democratic Party of Socialists.

Businessman Mladen Bojanic was projected for second place with 34.2 percent.

The vote, the first since Montenegro joined NATO in December, was seen as a test for Djukanovic, who favors European integration over closer ties to traditional ally Moscow.

 

 Djukanovic, the country's dominant politician, and his Democratic Party of Socialists have ruled Montenegro for nearly 30 years.

He led Montenegro to independence from much-larger Serbia in 2006 and was behind the NATO bid. He hopes next to steer the country into the European Union.

Bojanic has accused the ruling party of corruption and links to organized crime following a spike in crime-related violence.

None of the other five candidates, including lawmaker Draginja Vuksanovic, the first woman to run for Montenegro's presidency, reached double digits in polling.</s>Sunday’s vote was seen as test for long-time leader Milo Djukanovic, who favors European integration over closer ties to Montenegro’s traditional ally, Moscow. The former prime minister and his Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) have ruled the country for nearly 30 years. Current President Filip Vujanovic is not running due to term limits.

Opinion polls predicted a first-round victory for Djukanovic’s DPS. However, if the former leader fails to win the seven-candidate race, a run-off vote will be held on April 29.

Montenegro’s presidency is a ceremonial post, but is expected to become the real seat of power in the country if 56-year-old Djukanovic wins the vote.

To continue reading, please click here.</s>Over 1,200 polling stations in Montenegro opened at 7 am on Sunday for the presidential elections, which Milo Djukanovic of the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists is expected to win.

Around 530,000 citizens are eligible to vote for their new president, who will replace Filip Vujanovic, whose term ends in May.</s>Montenegro to elect new president on Sunday

Montenegrin voters will head to the polls on Sunday to elect a president for the next five years.

Europe's one of the smallest country with population of 620,000 people will hold its 7th presidential election with 7 candidates running for the office.

A total of 532,599 people are eligible to vote.

The candidates included Milo Djukanovic, chairman of Democratic Socialist Party (DPS); Draginja Vuksanovic, deputy chairman of Social Democratic Party (SDP); Hazbija Kalac, president of Justice and Peace Party (SPP); Marko Milacic, president of True Montenegro; Serbian Coalition's Dobrilo Dedeic; Positive Montenegrin Party's Mladen Bojanic; and independent Vasilije Milickovic.

According to local media, former Prime Minister Djukanovic is widely believed to become the next president.

Previously served as prime minister and once as a president, 56-year-old Djukanovic is returning to active politics after a brief break.

Djukanovic's party won the last general election in 2016, but he left the office to his deputy Dusko Markovic.

His presidential candidacy is supported by the DPS's ruling coalition partner Social Democrats, as well as Bosniak, Croat and Albanian minorities.

Vuksanovic, Montenegro's first female candidate for presidential election, was nominated by SDP leader Ranko Krivokapic. Having completed her doctorate in law, Vuksanovic is also an academician at the University of Montenegro.

Montenegro was part of communist Yugoslavia but in 2006 it break away from Serbia after a controversial independence referendum.

The country has approximately 15 percent of the Muslim population.</s>Montenegro’s pro-Western ruling party leader Milo Djukanovic has won an outright victory in the country’s presidential vote, avoiding a runoff, according to official results released Monday.

A near-complete vote count showed that Djukanovic won 54 percent of the ballots while his main opponent, Mladen Bojanic, had 33.3 percent, Montenegro’s state election authorities said.

Legislator Draginja Vuksanovic, the first-ever female presidential candidate in the Balkan nation on the Adriatic Sea, came in third with 8.2 percent.

“I am convinced Montenegro will confirm its determination to continue on the path of European development,” Djukanovic said after casting his ballot on Sunday.

Sunday’s vote, the first since Montenegro joined the NATO Western military alliance in December, was seen as a test for Djukanovic, who favours European integration over closer ties to traditional ally Moscow.

The presidential role in Montenegro is largely ceremonial, but when Djukanovic wins and replaces his ally, Filip Vujanovic, it is expected that he will wield considerable power and will be able to influence policy through the ranks of his Democratic Party of Socialists.

Djukanovic led Montenegro to independence from much-larger Serbia in 2006 and was behind last year’s accession to NATO.

He said Sunday that his victory means Montenegro will stick to its plan to join the European Union next.

The opposition has accused Djukanovic of corruption and blamed the government led by his ruling Democratic Party of Socialists for a spike in crime-related violence.

In his victory speech late Sunday, Djukanovic promised to work to overcome divisions within Montenegro, where many still cherish close ties with Moscow.

Djukanovic was prime minister during a tense October 2016 parliamentary election when authorities said they thwarted a pro-Russian coup attempt designed to prevent the country from joining NATO.</s>Sunday's vote is being seen as test for Djukanovic, who favors European integration over closer ties to its traditional ally, Moscow. The former prime minister and his Democratic Party of Socialists have ruled the country for nearly 30 years. Current President Filip Vujanovic is not running due to term limits.

Opinion polls predict a first-round victory for Djukanovic's Democratic Party of Socialists'. However, if the former leader fails to win the seven candidate race, a run-off vote will be held on April 29.

Montenegro's presidency is a ceremonial post, but is expected to become the real seat of power in the country if 56-year-old Djukanovic wins the vote.

Read more: Opinion: Western Balkans joining EU would be wrong move for wrong reasons

The ballot is the first election in Montenegro since Djukanovic's party ignored calls from Russia and joined NATO in December last year. Montenegro is also expected to be one of the favorites to join the European Union next.

Djukanovic is the best-known candidate in the race, with his campaign slogan declaring him a "leader, statesman and president of all citizens."

The six-time former prime minister said he is running for presidency in order to stabilize Montenegro's pro-Western path amid regional and global instability and "defend" it from Moscow's influence.

Read more: The western Balkans: A region of secessions

The opposition says Djukanovic has ties to the mafia, an accusation he has denied.

Mladen Bojanic is Djukanovic main rival, having been put forward by the leading opposition party, the Democratic Front, which prefers closer ties with Russia and accuses Djukanovic of both nepotism and corruption.

Djukanovic has pared back his anti-Russian rhetoric saying he wanted "normal relations with Russia if it is prepared to do the same," but he has also said he wants the country to "remain on its road of development," which would be better achieved through ties with Brussels.

But for the 620,000 people in Montenegro, their votes may be swayed by what work prospects are offered by the candidates rather than West or Russian ties. The average salary in Montenegro sits at around €500 ($615) and unemployment is more than 20 percent.

The country has also been marred by organized crime, with some 20 people killed by assassinations or car bombs over the last two years.

None of the other five candidates are expected to reach percentages in the double digits.

Polling stations are expected to close at 8 p.m local time with preliminary results expected soon after.

Each evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.</s>Voters in Montenegro are casting their ballots in a presidential election that the former prime minister Milo Đukanović is expected to win after his party defied Russia and took the small Balkan country into Nato last year.

The vote is the first since Montenegro joined the western military alliance in December. It is seen as a test for Đukanović, who favours European integration over closer ties to its traditional ally Moscow.

Đukanović, the country’s dominant politician, and his Democratic Party of Socialists have ruled Montenegro for nearly 30 years. The outgoing president, Filip Vujanović, is not running, due to term limits.

About 530,000 voters can choose between several candidates in the country on the Adriatic Sea. Đukanović’s main challenger is Mladen Bojanić, who is backed by several opposition groups, including pro-Russian parties.

Polls suggest the 56-year-old Đukanović could win more than half of the votes on Sunday and avoid a runoff.

Casting his vote on Sunday, Bojanić described Đukanović as an “autocrat leading Montenegro into a dictatorship”.

“The majority in Montenegro want a free and democratic Montenegro,” Bojanić said.

Đukanović was prime minister during a tense October 2016 parliamentary election when authorities said they thwarted a pro-Russian coup attempt designed to prevent the country from joining Nato.

He led Montenegro to independence from its much larger neighbour Serbia in 2006 and was behind the Nato bid. He hopes next to steer the country into the European Union.

Bojanić, an economic expert and former lawmaker, has accused the ruling party of corruption and links to organised crime following a spike in crime-related violence.

The fractured opposition parties supporting Bojanić include the pro-Russian Democratic Front, whose two main leaders are on trial for taking part in the alleged 2016 coup attempt.

Two Russian citizens also are being tried in absentia for the plot, which prosecutors said included a plan to assassinate Đukanović. The Kremlin has denied involvement.

Voter Zdravko Ivanovic, 84, praised Đukanović’s leadership after leaving a polling station Sunday in Podgorica, the capital. He described Đukanović as “the best statesman and prime minister, the best and finest Montenegrin giant”.

Radmila Čagorović, a voter in her late 50s, disagreed. “We have waited so long for a change,” she said. “I hope it will happen today.”
The Presidential election begins in Montenegro, with Milo Đukanović of the hegemonic Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro and independent candidate Mladen Bojanić being the favorites in the polls.