PODGORICA – Montenegro’s Europe Now Movement (PES) won 25.6% of votes in a snap election on Sunday, the Center for Monitoring and Research (CEMI) pollster said on the basis of a projection of results from a sample of polling stations. According to CEMI, voter turnout by the time polls closed at 8 p.m. was unusually low at 56.4%. Observers say there were few irregularities
The PES failed to secure enough votes to rule alone and it will have to seek partners in the 81-seat parliament to form the government. “This is a great victory … we will speak with everybody who shares our values,” Milojko Spajić, the PES leader told reporters in his party headquarters.
Former ruling Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) and a group of small allied parties came in second with 23.7% of support, CEMI said on the basis of 98.7% of ballots counted in a representative sample of 400 polling stations across the country.
Out of 15 parties and alliances that took part in the vote, nine are seen to enter the parliament, the CEMI poll suggested. The state election commission is expected to announce the final results in the coming days.
The conservative alliance For the Future of Montenegro, led by the pro-Serbian and pro-Russian Democratic Front, garnered 14.7%.
Another pro-EU grouping comprising the Democratic Party and the URA movement of outgoing Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic came in fourth with 12.2%, CEMI said.
Aleksa Bečić, the leader of the Democratic Party said the alliance with URA would be a kingmaker in coalition talks. “There will be no government without (our) movement,” he said.