Montenegro may fail to form a stable government

Significance

PES faces the challenge of forming a stable majority government to end prolonged political instability and restart EU-oriented reforms. Its main rival, long-time former President Milo Djukanovic's party, and a pro-Serb bloc, hold two-fifths of parliamentary seats.

Impacts

• Critical rule-of-law reforms required by the EU will be difficult to pass without a strong majority.
• Relations with Serbia will improve, with an exchange of ambassadors likely to occur in the autumn.
• Montenegro will continue to support Ukraine and NATO as part of a broadly pro-Western foreign policy.
• Continuing political instability may affect the census scheduled for the autumn.