Crisis meeting in Montenegro: Will the government withstand the pressure?

Crisis meeting in Montenegro: Will the government withstand the pressure?

In a dramatic political shift in Portugal, Prime Minister Antonio Costa's government faces a vote of confidence. As the Small newspaper reported, this was triggered after the opposition denounced a conflict of interest regarding a family business owned by the prime minister. Costa has already survived two no-confidence votes but now faces pressure to once again defend his government's legitimacy. A possible fall of the government could have serious consequences, not only for Costa, but also for the political climate in the country, since President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has the power under the constitution to initiate a new government formation process.

Political turmoil in Montenegro

At the same time in Montenegro the opposition, which includes all non-governing parties, is being challenged by the violent political convulsions. The main opposition party, the Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS), lost power in the August 2020 elections after ruling for almost 30 years. In a surprising turnaround, the opposition coalitions managed to win 43 of the total 81 seats in parliament, while the DPS only won 30 seats, according to Wikipedia reported. These developments create an unstable political environment in which the opposition continues to put pressure on the government.

The ongoing political tension in Montenegro is compounded by the opposition's intention to set up an investigative committee. The ruling forces are facing a crucial decision: If the government falls, the state leadership could decide to commission another politician from the ruling alliance or the opposition leader Pedro Nuno Santos to form the government. This could lead to early elections and fundamentally change the political balance in the country.