Ruling coalition wins most votes in Montenegro

PODGORICA The DPS party and its coalition have won in the parliamentary election held in Montenegro on Sunday, but will not have an absolute majority in parliament. DPS leader and former Montenegrin prime minister and president Milo Djukanovic declared the victory of the coalition, dubbed "European Montenegro", and stressed that the parties that ruled the country in the previous period will continue to do so. Ruling coalition wins most votes in Montenegro "We will continue to carry the burden of responsibility for Montenegro's development," said he, and added that improving the quality of life of its citizens will now be the priority. Djukanovic also noted that Montenegro's ruling coalition was "one of only a handful in Europe" that managed to preserve its position in power despite the economic crisis. The coalition, made up of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), the Social-Democratic Party (SDP), and the Liberal Party (LP) won 45.6 percent of votes and will have 39 MPs in the country's 81-seat parliament. A future ruling coalition will have to secure the support of 41 MPs. The Democratic Front coalition, led by Miodrag Lekic, won 23.8 percent of votes (20 seats), followed by the Socialist People's Party (SNP) with 10.6 percent (nine seats), and Positive Montenegro with 8.9 percent, (seven seats). The Bosniak Party (BS) this time ran independently and will have three MPs. In 2009 they joined the DPS-led coalition ticket, and are this time expected to once again team up with Djukanovic's party and provide them with a majority needed to form a government. Some 70 percent of Montenegro's 514,055 citizens eligible to vote took part in the election. Milo Djukanovic (Beta/AP) Beta Tanjug

Ruling coalition wins most votes in Montenegro

"We will continue to carry the burden of responsibility for Montenegro's development," said he, and added that improving the quality of life of its citizens will now be the priority.

Đukanović also noted that Montenegro's ruling coalition was "one of only a handful in Europe" that managed to preserve its position in power despite the economic crisis.

The coalition, made up of the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), the Social-Democratic Party (SDP), and the Liberal Party (LP) won 45.6 percent of votes and will have 39 MPs in the country's 81-seat parliament.

A future ruling coalition will have to secure the support of 41 MPs.

The Democratic Front coalition, led by Miodrag Lekić, won 23.8 percent of votes (20 seats), followed by the Socialist People's Party (SNP) with 10.6 percent (nine seats), and Positive Montenegro with 8.9 percent, (seven seats).

The Bosniak Party (BS) this time ran independently and will have three MPs. In 2009 they joined the DPS-led coalition ticket, and are this time expected to once again team up with Đukanović's party and provide them with a majority needed to form a government.

Some 70 percent of Montenegro's 514,055 citizens eligible to vote took part in the election.