Electoral Reform in Montenegro: Democratic Blow or Party Engineering?
Is the electoral reform in Montenegro truly a step towards better democracy or just another trick by political parties to cement their interests? The Center for Democratic Transition (CDT) is sounding the alarm and calling for public debate and opinions from international institutions because what is happening now in the electoral reform committee looks like a serious threat to citizens’ rights.
What’s going on?
After a year of stagnation, a political decision was finally made to start electoral reform. But instead of moving towards a more transparent and fair electoral process, the proposed law amendments bring controversies that could seriously undermine democratic principles.
The biggest problem? Extending the mandates of local authorities for up to two years, meaning thousands of citizens won’t be able to vote in local elections during that period. This is not just a technical measure but a direct limitation of a fundamental political right – the right to vote.
Why is this a problem?
The Venice Commission clearly states that mandate extensions can only be justified in extraordinary situations like war, natural disasters, or institutional blockades. Here, however, the mandate extension is used as a political tool, not an exception.
The committee, instead of respecting international standards, decided to push solutions serving party interests rather than citizens. It was proposed to merge local elections with parliamentary ones, which would reduce local politics to a side event in the shadow of central elections.
What does CDT say?
CDT’s Executive Director Dragan Koprivica warns that such amendments represent a blow to Montenegro’s democratic order. He emphasizes that adopting these solutions would create dangerous precedents and could have unforeseeable negative consequences for the country’s democratic future.
Also, important reform segments supported by citizens, like cleaning the voter list and introducing open lists, have been abandoned, and increasing women’s participation in parliament seems forgotten.
Who benefits?
It seems parties choose election dates based on their own calculations, not public interest. Such electoral engineering is not only unethical but unconstitutional.
What’s next?
CDT calls for opening public debate and involving international institutions to prevent passing laws that would limit citizens’ electoral rights. The amendments should be adopted by late September or early October, still before the deadline for calling elections in some municipalities, thus avoiding harm to the electoral process.
Conclusion
Electoral reform in Montenegro is at a crossroads. Will it be an opportunity to strengthen democracy or just another tool for party manipulation? If you’re curious how this will end, stay tuned, and if you have your own take, feel free to share it – maybe your critique or joke will break this political circus!
