Montenegro election affords mandate for pro-EU policy

Subject

The Montenegrin strongman’s comfortable win in the presidential election on April 15.

Significance

Veteran Balkan survivor Milo Djukanovic secured nearly 54% of the votes in the first round, thus avoiding the need for a run-off. He has been the dominant figure in the former Yugoslav republic since the mid-1990s. Still only 56, he looks set to continue to steer Montenegro towards or even into the EU; the target accession date is 2025.

Impacts

• After its Montenegrin setback, Moscow will try to maximise its influence in Serbia and in Bosnia-Hercegovina’s Serb entity Republika Srpska.
• The EU will take the election result as a rare positive sign these days that the Union is still a pole of attraction.
• Djukanovic’s win strengthens the position of his party for the municipal elections next month.