Presidential elections were held in

Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...

on 6 April 2008, the first after

independence Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state, in which residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory. The opposite of independence is the status of ...

in 2006. The result was a victory for incumbent President

Filip Vujanović Filip Vujanović (, ; born 1 September 1954) is a Montenegrins, Montenegrin politician who served as the 3rd president of the Republic of Montenegro (1992–2006), Republic of Montenegro under Serbia and Montenegro from 2003 to 2006, and the 1st ...

, who received 52% of the vote.

Electoral system

The law on presidential elections was passed on 27 December 2007, requiring candidates to collect the signatures of 1.5% of registered voters in order to run.

Candidates

Democratic Party of Socialists

The ruling Democratic Party of Socialists nominated the current president of Montenegro,

. He was supported by DPS' coalition partner, the

Social Democratic Party of Montenegro Social Democratic Party of Montenegro (; or just the Social Democratic Party, abbr. SDP) is a nationalist and social democratic political party in Montenegro. It is the only party in Montenegro to have full membership in the Socialist Internation ...

, as well as

Croatian Civic Initiative The Croatian Civic Initiative ( Croatian/ Montenegrin: ''Hrvatska građanska inicijativa'', HGI, Montenegrin Cyrillic: Хрватска грађанска иницијатива, ХГИ) is a political party of the Croat minority in Montenegro. ...

, the Democratic Union of Albanians and the Democratic Community of Muslims Bosniacs in Montenegro.

Opposition

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

Serb People's Party

Andrija Mandić Andrija Mandić ( sr-Cyrl, Андрија Мандић; born 19 January 1965) is a Montenegrin politician who has served as president of the Parliament of Montenegro since 30 October 2023 and is an eight-term member of the Parliament. He is the ...

, the leader of the Serb People's Party (SNS), was nominated as a common candidate of the Serb List (SL) political alliance. He held demonstrations in the nation's capital of

Podgorica Podgorica ( cnr-Cyrl, Подгорица; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Montenegro, largest city of Montenegro. The city is just north of Lake Skadar and close to coastal destinations on the Adriatic Sea. Histor ...

on 24 February 2008 against

Kosovo Kosovo, officially the Republic of Kosovo, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe with International recognition of Kosovo, partial diplomatic recognition. It is bordered by Albania to the southwest, Montenegro to the west, Serbia to the ...

's recent

unilateral declaration of independence A unilateral declaration of independence (UDI) or "unilateral secession" is a formal process leading to the establishment of a new state by a subnational entity which declares itself independent and sovereign without a formal agreement with the ...

Movement for Changes

The

Movement for Changes Movement for Changes (, PZP) is a right-wing populist and far-right political party in Montenegro. Its current leader is Nebojša Medojević, the party's founder. History The party was founded by a group of economists and academics in Septembe ...

(PzP) nominated its leader

Nebojša Medojević Nebojša Medojević ( Montenegrin Cyrillic: Небојша Медојевић; born June 13, 1966) is a Montenegrin politician. He is the president of the Movement for Changes (PzP), a political party emerging from the Montenegrin NGO ''Group for ...

. Medojević was also supported by the

Albanian Alternative Albanian Alternative (, ) is a political party representing the Albanian minority in Montenegro. The party is led by Nik Gjeloshaj. At the legislative elections in Montenegro, in October 2012, AA won 1 out of 81 seats. Between 2009 and 2016, th ...

(AA) and the FORCA. The AA, accusing DPS's regime of terror and disrespect of ethnic Albanians of Montenegro.

Socialist People's Party

The

Socialist People's Party of Montenegro The Socialist People's Party of Montenegro () is a List of political parties in Montenegro, political party in Montenegro. It is a Social democracy, social-democratic and Social conservatism, socially conservative party, that is positioned on ...

(SNP) chose Srđan Milić, leader of the party, as their candidate.

Other parties

The

Bosniak Party The Bosniak Party (Montenegrin language, Montenegrin/, cnr-Cyrl, Бошњачка странка, abbr. BS) is a conservative and National conservatism, national conservative list of political parties in Montenegro, political party of the Bosniak ...

decided, like two Albanian minority parties, to abstain from endorsing any candidate. 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.Montenegro's People's Party will not take part in presidential election
SE Times, 4 February 2008

Independents

Professor Blagota Mitrić of the Faculty of Law of

University of Montenegro The University of Montenegro () is a national public university of Montenegro. Its central administration and most of its constituent faculties are located in the country's capital Podgorica, with campuses in Nikšić, Cetinje, and Kotor. Its ...

had announced that he would run for president, yet he did not manage to collect enough signatures to become an official candidate. This was also the case with

Dragan Hajduković Dragan S. Hajduković (Cyrillic: Драган С. Хајдуковић; born 11 June 1949 in Cetinje, SR Montenegro, SFRY), is a Montenegrin physics professor, astrophysicist and physicist, employed to CERN, environmental activist and perennial ca ...

, an environmentalist who had been a regular participant in the previous 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 the former president and prime minister

Milo Đukanović Milo Đukanović (, ; born 15 February 1962) is a Montenegrin politician who served as the President of Montenegro from 2018 to 2023, previously serving in the role from 1998 to 2002. He also served as the Prime Minister of Montenegro (1991–19 ...

also ran for that position.

Opinion polls

Polls and analysts claimed Vujanović would most surely win the largest number of votes and face-off with Medojevic in the second round.Montenegro calls first presidential election since independence for April 6
PR Inside Since Vujanovic won over 50 percent of the vote in the first round there was no need for a runoff.

Results

References

{{Montenegrin elections

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President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Presidential elections in Montenegro

Montenegro , image_flag = Flag of Montenegro.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Montenegro.svg , coa_size = 80 , national_motto = , national_anthem = () , image_map = Europe-Mont ...