PODGORICA (Montenegro), September 23 (SeeNews) – The leader of opposition coalition For the Future of Montenegro, the runner-up in last month's general election, received the support of 41 of 81 members of parliament to form the country's next government, social-liberal United Reform Action (URA) party said on Wednesday.
"All representatives of the new parliamentary majority signed in support of Prof. Zdravko Krivokapic as prime minister-designate of the first democratic government of Montenegro," URA said in a Facebook post featuring a picture of а document sent to Montenegro's President Milo Djukanovic which comprises the signatures of 41 lawmakers.
The nomination of Krivokapic was supported by 27 MPs of For the Future of Montenegro, ten MPs of pro-European coalition Peace is Our Nation and four MPs of URA.
Montenegro's parliament is holding on Wednesday its inaugural session. Aleksa Becic, leader of Piece is Our Nation, was nominated for parliament speaker.
Djukanovic's Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS) won the election with a narrow margin ahead of For the Future of Montenegro. Based on 100% of the ballots counted, DPS led with 143,548 votes, or 35.06% of the ballots cast - its lowest election result since 1990, yet large enough to secure the party's 11th straight victory in vote for parliament.
"By accepting the election outcome, we are ready to be the strongest opposition party, which will take into account the strategic national interests in the coming period, as it has done so far," Djukanovic said earlier this month.
Under Montenegro's constitution, the president should give a mandate for the forming of the next government to the election winner within 30 days after the inauguration of the new parliament. If the winner fails to form a cabinet, the mandate goes to the next party in terms of the number of MPs.
DPS holds 30 mandates in the new parliament. For the Future of Montenegro coalition that comprises right-wing populist alliance Democratic Front, conservative alliance Popular Movement, and the Socialist People's Party of Montenegro, has 27 MPs. Peace is Our Nation has 10 mandates in the new assembly, while URA has 4 MPs. Two other non-ethnic formations passed the threshold for entry into parliament -- the Social Democrats of Montenegro has 3 MPs, and the Social Democratic Party of Montenegro has 2 mandates.
Among ethnic minority parties, the Bosniak Party has 3 MPs, the Albanian List coaliton of New Democratic Force (Forca), the Albanian Alternative (AA), Albanian Coalition Perspective (AKP) and the Democratic League of Albanians, and the Albanian Coalition of the Democratic Party (DP) of former пayor of Ulcinj, Fatmir Gjeka, the Democratic Union of Albanians (DUA) and the Democratic League in Montenegro (DSCG), have one mandate each.