Montenegrin presidential election, 2008

Montenegro

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Montenegro

Constitution Constitution Legislative Parliament Speaker Ranko Krivokapić Judiciary Supreme Court Constitutional Court Executive President (List) Filip Vujanović Prime Minister Igor Lukšić Government Political parties Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) Social Democratic Party (SDP) Movement for Changes (PzP) New Serb Democracy (NSD) Socialist People's Party (SNP) Democratic Union of Albanians (DUA) Democratic League in Montenegro (DSCG) FORCA Albanian Alternative (AA) Croatian Civic Initiative (HGI) Bosniak Party (BS) Elections President: 2008 Parliament: 2009 Municipal: 2010 Divisions Municipalities Foreign relations EU accession NATO accession

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Red - absolute majority for Filip Vujanović
Orange - relative majority for Filip Vujanović
Light Blue - relative majority for Srđan Milić

A presidential election was held in Montenegro on 6 April 2008; it was the country's first since independence. According to a compromise with the opposition, local elections in Herceg-Novi and Tivat were held at the same time. The law on presidential elections was passed on 27 December 2007. Candidates needed to collect the signatures of 1.5% of registered voters.^[1] The OSCE oversaw the election. There were 490,412 eligible voters, which was around four thousand more than the parliamentary election in late 2006.

The ruling Democratic Party of Socialists nominated the current president of Montenegro, Filip Vujanović. He was supported by DPS' coalition partner, the Social Democratic Party of Montenegro, as well as the Croatian Civic Initiative

After proposals for a common candidate of the opposition failed, all opposition currents nominated their own Presidents as candidates.

Andrija Mandić, the leader of the Serb People's Party, was nominated as a common candidate of the Serb List political alliance. He held demonstrations in the nation's capital of Podgorica on 24 February 2008 against Kosovo's recent unilateral declaration of independence.

The Movement for Changes nominated its leader Nebojša Medojević, and the Socialist People's Party of Montenegro chose Srđan Milić, leader of the party, as their candidate. ^[2]. Medojević was also supported by the Albanian Alternative and the New Democratic Power – FORCA.^[3]

The Bosniak Party decided, like two Albanian minority parties, to abstain from endorsing any candidate. The Albanian Alternative supports Medojević, accusing Milo's regime of terror and disrespect of ethnic Albanians. The People's Party decided unanimously on 3 February 2008 that it would not participate in the election, but it supported the two opposition candidates that represent parties of the former pro-Serbian bloc.^[4]

Professor Blagota Mitrić of the Faculty of Law of University of Montenegro had announced that he would run for president, yet he did not manage to collect enough signatures to become an official candidate. This is also the case with Dragan Hajduković, an ecologist who has been a regular participant in the past presidential runs.

Vasilije Miličković, President of the Association of Minority Shareholders of the Montenegrin Electric Enterprise, had announced that he would run for president as an independent candidate only if former president and premier Milo Đukanović ran for that position. ^[5]

Polls and analysts claimed Vujanović would most surely win the largest number of votes and face-off with Medojevic in the second round.^[6] Since Vujanovic won over 50 percent of the vote in the first round there was no need for a runoff.

Polls

Center for Democracy and Human Rights conducted a poll, according to which 72.2% will vote:

• Filip Vujanović - 49.5%
• Nebojša Medojević - 21.2%
• Andrija Mandić - 14.8%
• Srđan Milić - 9.9%
• others - 4.6%

According to another poll made by IPRES:

• Filip Vujanović - 30.59%
• Andrija Mandić - 30.18%
• Nebojša Medojević - 20.62%
• Srđan Milić - 18.61%

CEDEM conducted a final poll, just before the election:^[7]

• Filip Vujanović - 52.8%
• Andrija Mandić - 19.1%
• Nebojša Medojević - 18.3%
• Srđan Milić - 9.8%

Results

e • d Summary of the 6 April 2008 Montenegrin presidential election results

Candidates	Party	Votes	%
Filip Vujanović (Филип Вујановић)	Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro (Демократска партија социјалиста Црне Горе)	171,118	51.89
Andrija Mandić (Андрија Мандић)	Serb List (Српска листа)	64,473	19.55
Nebojša Medojević (Небојша Медојевић)	Movement for Changes (Покрет за промјене)	54,874	16.64
Srđan Milić (Срђан Милић)	Socialist People's Party of Montenegro (Социјалистичка народна партија Црне Горе)	39,316	11.92
Valid votes		329,781	98.6
Total (turnout 68.2%)		336,900	100.0
Source: Adam Carr

Preliminary

CEMI published on 22:30 preliminary results, after 95.5% counted votes:

Turnout - 332,800 (67.9%)

• Filip Vujanovic - 171,500 (52.3%)
• Andrija Mandic - 63,200 (19.3%)
• Nebojsa Medojevic - 56,700 (17.3%)
• Srdjan Milic - 36,500 (11.1%)
• invalid - 4,700 (1.4%)

CDT published the next day their final results of the election:

Turnout - 68.7%:

• Filip Vujanovic - 51.4%
• Andrija Mandic - 20.4%
• Nebojsa Medojevic - 15.6%
• Srdjan Milic - 12.6%

The State Electoral Commission published final official results on 10 April:

Turnout - 68.2%, invalid - 1.4%

• Filip Vujanovic - 171,118 (51.89%)
• Andrija Mandic - 64,473 (19.55%)
• Nebojsa Medojevic - 54,874 (16.64%)
• Srdjan Milic - 39,316 (11.92%)

Candidates

Candidates
Nebojša Medojević of PzP	Nebojša Medojević 2008 campaign logo Movement for Changes, has nominated Nebojša Medojević Supported by: Albanian Alternative, New Democratic Power – FORCA, Bosniak Party[4] Slogan: Da nam služi na čast (To Serve Us in Honor), Svi za jednog, jedan za sve! (All for One, One for All!)
Andrija Mandić of SL	Andrija Mandić 2008 campaign logo Serbian List, has nominated Andrija Mandić of the Serb People's Party (+Democratic Party of Unity, People's Socialist Party of Montenegro and Party of Serb Radicals and NGOs Serbian National Council of Montenegro and Academic Alternative) Slogan: Samo najbolji smije (Only the Best Can), Za sve nas (For Us All)
Srđan Milić of SNP CG	Srđan Milić 2008 campaign logo Socialist People's Party of Montenegro, has nominated Srđan Milić Slogan: Vrijeme je za pravdu (It is Time for Justice)
Filip Vujanović of DPS CG	Filip Vujanović 2008 campaign logo Democratic Party of Socialists, has nominated Filip Vujanović Supported by: Social Democratic Party of Montenegro, Croatian Civic Initiative, Democratic Union of Albanians, Democratic Community of Muslims Bosniacs in Montenegro Slogan: Bez dileme (Without Dilemma)

References

1. ^ Montenegrin parliament approves law on presidential elections (SETimes.com)
2. ^ Montenegro's SNP names presidential candidate (SETimes.com)
3. ^ Two parties announce support for Medojevic in Montenegrin presidential election (SETimes.com)
4. ^ ^{a b} Montenegro's People's Party will not take part in presidential election (SETimes.com)
5. ^ "Ako će Milo i ja ću". Vijesti. http://www.vijesti.cg.yu/vijesti_old/naslovna.php?akcija=vijest&id=257609. ^{[dead link]}
6. ^ Montenegro calls first presidential election since independence for April 6
7. ^ Poll suggests Montenegro's Vujanovic might be re-elected president in first round (SETimes.com)