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| Montenegro's ruling coalition wins election | Montenegro's ruling coalition wins election |
| (30 days later) | |
| Montenegro's governing coalition won the most votes in a parliamentary election on Sunday and is set to stay in power after having ruled the Balkan country for more than two decades amid economic troubles and allegations of crime and corruption. | Montenegro's governing coalition won the most votes in a parliamentary election on Sunday and is set to stay in power after having ruled the Balkan country for more than two decades amid economic troubles and allegations of crime and corruption. |
| Sunday's vote – the third since Montenegro gained independence from Serbia in 2006 – was held as the country seeks membership in the European Union and battles an economic downturn. | Sunday's vote – the third since Montenegro gained independence from Serbia in 2006 – was held as the country seeks membership in the European Union and battles an economic downturn. |
| The European Montenegro coalition, led by the tiny nation's powerful ruler, Milo Djukanović, has won 45.6% of the vote, or 39 out of 81 seats in the future parliament, according to the results released by the monitoring group which counted nearly 95% of the ballots. | The European Montenegro coalition, led by the tiny nation's powerful ruler, Milo Djukanović, has won 45.6% of the vote, or 39 out of 81 seats in the future parliament, according to the results released by the monitoring group which counted nearly 95% of the ballots. |
| "This is a great victory," Djukanović said. "Montenegro's ruling coalition is a rare one in Europe that has maintained the confidence of voters in such difficult times of crisis." | "This is a great victory," Djukanović said. "Montenegro's ruling coalition is a rare one in Europe that has maintained the confidence of voters in such difficult times of crisis." |
| The lead opposition party Democratic Front was second with 23.7%, or 20 parliamentary seats, followed by the pro-Serb Socialist People's party with 10.5% of the vote, or nine seats, the monitors said. | The lead opposition party Democratic Front was second with 23.7%, or 20 parliamentary seats, followed by the pro-Serb Socialist People's party with 10.5% of the vote, or nine seats, the monitors said. |
| Analysts said the ruling coalition, which has kept a grip on power in Montenegro since the 1990s, will not be able to govern alone, but will have to seek support from minority groups in parliament, which have won about half a dozen parliamentary seats. | Analysts said the ruling coalition, which has kept a grip on power in Montenegro since the 1990s, will not be able to govern alone, but will have to seek support from minority groups in parliament, which have won about half a dozen parliamentary seats. |
| The head of the monitoring group, Zlatko Vujović, said: "Chances for such a coalition are quite real, as they were coalition partners many times in the past." | The head of the monitoring group, Zlatko Vujović, said: "Chances for such a coalition are quite real, as they were coalition partners many times in the past." |
| Nonetheless, the main opposition leader Miodrag Lekić declared that the elections marked the "beginning of the end" of Montenegro's governing coalition. | Nonetheless, the main opposition leader Miodrag Lekić declared that the elections marked the "beginning of the end" of Montenegro's governing coalition. |
| Djukanović's group led Montenegro peacefully to independence and has opened accession talks with the EU this year. Critics have accused his government of corruption and crime – allegations Djukanović has repeatedly denied. | Djukanović's group led Montenegro peacefully to independence and has opened accession talks with the EU this year. Critics have accused his government of corruption and crime – allegations Djukanović has repeatedly denied. |
| Djukanović was at one point under investigation by Italian prosecutors who have suspected his government of a multi-million-dollar cigarette smuggling operation during the international embargo imposed on Serb-led Yugoslavia during the 1990s. | Djukanović was at one point under investigation by Italian prosecutors who have suspected his government of a multi-million-dollar cigarette smuggling operation during the international embargo imposed on Serb-led Yugoslavia during the 1990s. |
| Montenegro's opposition has failed in every attempt to unseat Djukanović since he became the youngest prime minister in Europe in 1991 at the age of 29. Djukanović's opponents have also failed to capitalise on the economic downturn that has followed the boom in the first post-independence years. | Montenegro's opposition has failed in every attempt to unseat Djukanović since he became the youngest prime minister in Europe in 1991 at the age of 29. Djukanović's opponents have also failed to capitalise on the economic downturn that has followed the boom in the first post-independence years. |
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