1. Politics of MontenegroBenedict (Viktor) Gombocz

2. Background of Montenegros politicalsystem The Politics of Montenegro function in a structure of aparliamentary representative democratic republic, with the PMof Montenegro heads the government and a multi-partystructure. The government exercises executive power; legislative poweris vested in both the government and the Parliament ofMontenegro. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and thelegislature. 3. Government of Montenegro Capital (and largest city):Podgorica* Official languages: Montenegrin Demonym: Montenegrin Government: Parliamentaryrepublic President: Filip Vujanovi Prime Minister: Milo ukanovi Crown Prince**: Nikola II Petrovi-Njego Legislature: Parliament *The Constitution names Cetinje as the Old Royal Capital (prijestonica) of Montenegro. **Honorary title. 4. Constitution On 19 October 2007, the current Constitution ofMontenegro was approved by the Constitutional Parliamentof Montenegro. On 22 October 2007, the Constitution was formallyproclaimed as the Constitution of Montenegro, in place of theoutdated 1992 Constitution. The new Constitution identifies Montenegro as a civic,democratic and environmentally friendly nation with socialjustice, established by the sovereign rights of its government. 5. Executive BranchMain office holdersCurrent government Office: President The Republic of Montenegros current government ( Name: Filip Vujanovi, Vlada Republike Crne Gore) Party: Democratic Party of consists of the PM, the Deputy PMs,Socialists of Montenegro and the ministers. Milo ukanovi is Montenegros PM Since: 22 March 2003 and head of government. Office: Prime Minister The governing entity in Montenegro is Name: Milo ukanovi the Coalition for a European Montenegro, led by the Democratic Party: Democratic Party of Party of Socialists of MontenegroSocialists of Montenegro ( Since: 4 December 2012 , Demokratska Partija Socijalista Crne Gore; DPS). 6. 2012 Election With virtually all votes counted after the 14 October 2012 election, thealliance of Milo ukanovis Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) andtwo small parties looked at winning 39 seats in the 81-seat parliament. 7. President The President of Montenegro is elected to a term of five years bydirect and secret ballots. The Presidents duties: Represents Montenegro both domestically and abroad Promulgates laws Calls parliamentary elections Recommends a PM nominee to Parliament, as well as nominees for thepresident and justices of the Constitutional Court Suggests holding a referendum Issues pardons Presents honors and decorations 8. Government The Government of Montenegro is nominated through majority voteof Parliament. The Government: Plans and carries out foreign policy Assumes decrees and other laws Puts laws into effect Reaches global treaties Sets up the organization and the method of functioning of thegovernment administration Conducts other responsibilities as specified in the Constitution 9. Prime Minister Montenegros PM supervises the Governments work, presenting tothe Parliament the Governments Program, with a list ofrecommended ministers. In the event of the PMs resignation, the Government will fall apart. 10. Legislative Branch The Parliament of Montenegro (Montenegrin: ,Skuptina Crne Gore) is Montenegros legislature. Currently, the Parliament is made up of 81 members; each member iselected to a term of four years. Montenegro has a structure of multiple parties, with many parties; often,no single party has a likelihood of obtaining power by itself, and partiesmust work alongside each other to create coalition governments. The Assembly passes all of Montenegros laws, approves globaltreaties, names the PM, ministers, and justices of all courts, adopts thebudget, and conducts other tasks as created by the Constitution. The Parliament may pass a no-confidence vote on the Governmentthrough a majority of the members. One deputy for every 6,000 voters is elected, which sequentially resultsin a decrease of the total number of delegates in MontenegrosAssembly. 11. Parliamentary parties Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro(Demokratska Partija Socijalista CrneGore; ,DPS) Democratic Front (Demokratski Front; , PS)New Serb DemocracyMovement for Changes Socialist Peoples Party of Montenegro (Socijalistikanarodna partija Crne Gore; , SNP) Social Democratic Party of Montenegro(Socijaldemokratska Partija Crne Gore; , SDP) Positive Montenegro (Pozitivna Crna Gora; , PCG) Bosniak Party (Bonjaka Stranka; , BS) Liberal Party of Montenegro (Liberalna Partija Crne Gore; , LPCG) New Democratic Power FORCA (Forca e ReDemokratike;Nova Demokratska Snaga FORCA) Democratic Party (Partia Demokratike;Demokratska partija, PD) Croatian Civic Initiative (Hrvatska graanska inicijativa,HGI) 12. Judicial Branch Montenegro follows the standard of separation of powers; itsjudicial, legislative, and executive branches are independent of eachother. Likewise, the judiciary is self-ruling and independent. The rulings of the courts must be in conformity with the Constitutionand Montenegros laws. Nomination to a judiciary post is permanent. 13. Subdivisions Montenegro is split into 21municipalities. 14. Symbols On 12 July 2004, a new official flag of Montenegro was adopted by theMontenegrin legislature. The new flag is modeled off the personal standard of King Nikola I ofMontenegro, a flag that was entirely red with a gold border, a gold coat ofarms, and the initials in Cyrillic writing (matching with NI in the Latinalphabet) representing King Nikola I; these initials are absent from thecurrent flag. The national day of 13 July marks the date in 1878 when the Congress ofBerlin recognised Montenegro as the worlds 27th free nation and thebeginning of the first popular rebellion in Europe against the Axis Powers,which occurred in Montenegro on 13 July 1941. Also in 2004, Montenegros legislature chose a well-liked Montenegrin folksong, Oh the Bright Dawn of May (, ; Oj, svijetlamajska zoro) , as the countrys national anthem. Under the rule of King Nikola, the official anthem of Montenegro was Ubavojnam Crnoj Gori (To our beautiful Montenegro); the music was written by theKings son Knjaz Mirko. 15. Filip Vujanovi Born 1 September 1954 in Belgrade. President of Montenegro since 22 May 2003;was acting President from 25 November 2002-19 May 2003. Was also the PM of Montenegro from 5February 1998-5 November 2002. Is Montenegros first President since it wonindependence from Serbia and Montenegro inJune 2006. Won a landslide victory in the April 2008presidential election; is serving his secondpresidential term since 21 May 2008. Graduated from the University of Belgrades LawSchool. Worked in one of the citys Municipal Courtsfrom 1978-1981, and subsequently as anassistant at the Belgrade District Court. Moved to Titograd (now Podgorica) in 1981 atthe age of 27. After a brief period as secretary at TitogradsDistrict Court, he was a lawyer until he enteredpolitical life in March 1993. 16. Milo ukanovi Born 15 February 1962 in Niki. PM of Montenegro since 4 December 2012. Was also PM between 1991-1998, Presidentbetween 1998-2002, and PM again between2003-2006. Even though he resigned as PM in late 2006, hereassumed the office in February 2008; resignedagain in December 2010 before he returned fora third time two years later. Is also the long-time leader of the DemocraticParty of Socialists, the successor of theMontenegrin branch of the YugoslavianCommunist Party; it thus has ruled Montenegrosince the onset of multiparty politics. Was a close ally of Slobodan Miloevi upon hisfirst emerge on the political scene, but in 1996,he turned against Miloevi; discarded thecustomary joint Serbian-Montenegrin dream infavour of an independent Montenegro. Supervised the transition of the Federal Republicof Yugoslavia into the State Union of Serbia andMontenegro and Montenegros increasingdivision from Serbia under his leadership, whichled to his victory at the May 2006 independencereferendum. 17. Democratic Party of Socialists ofMontenegro Governing social-democratic political party in Montenegro. Successor of the Montenegrin branch of the YugoslavCommunist League. Was renamed to its current name in 1991; has ruledMontenegro since 1991, despite becoming factionalized. Supported a union and warm relations with Serbia from1991-1998, under Momir Bulatovi, ousted as leader in1998 and replaced by present leader and current PM Miloukanovi, promoting a distance of Montenegro fromSerbia, while Bulatovis section founded the SocialistPeoples Party of Montenegro, which backed warm ties withSerbia under Bulatovis leadership until he was expelledfrom that party, too. Won 39/81 seats (as the Coalition for a EuropeanMontenegro), together with the Social Democratic Party ofMontenegro (SDP) at the most recent Montenegrinlegislative elections held on 10 September 2006, and theright to name the Government. Won one seat at the rerun for Albanian minority delegates;the Forca merged its seat into DPS, with a total result of 40seats, the required parliamentary majority. The DPS itself acquired 32 seats, of which one was given tothe partner party Croatian Civic Initiative. Member of Socialist International (International affiliation)and Party of European Socialists (European affiliation). 18. Social Democratic Party ofMontenegro Social democratic, left-wing political party inMontenegro. Has a support of nearly 6% of the Montenegrinelectorate, but has nonetheless successfullyplayed a prominent role in the republicspolitical scene during the last decade; itsimportance originates from its warm relationswith Montenegros biggest party the DPS andits leader Milo ukanovi. Allying itself with DPS and ukanovi beforethe 1998 parliamentary elections permittedSDP to enter parliament for the very first time inits existence, what it could not do unassisted inthree prior attempts. Remained a part of every pre-election coalitionled by ukanovi (three additional electionsever since) since the 1998 election; thus, SDPhas additionally been involved in everyMontenegrin government. Came out triumphant as part of a joint DPS-SDP list that took 47 seats (out of a total of 81seats), at the previous legislative elections heldin March 2009. Member of Socialist International (Internationalaffiliation) and Party of European Socialists(European affiliation). 19. Podgorica 20. The End