Daily Times

Montenegro’s political establishment was rocked Sunday after long-time leader Milo Djukanovic suffered a crushing defeat in a presidential run-off to the upstart Jakov Milatovic, ending decades of rule by the incumbent.

Djukanovic has been a political mainstay in Montenegro for decades, rotating through various positions — including multiple stints as both president and prime minister.

“Together with all the citizens of Montenegro, we said a decisive goodbye to crime and corruption,” Milatovic said during a victory speech at the headquarters of his Europe Now party.

“Tonight is the night we’ve been waiting for for more than 30 years,” he added.

The Centre for Monitoring and Research polling group said Milatovic had secured 60 percent of the vote. Official results are expected later in the week.

But as the scale of the landslide became clear, Djukanovic acknowledged his defeat while wishing Milatovic “success” as president.

“Montenegro chose and I respect that choice,” Djukanovic told his supporters. “I want Milatovic to be a successful president, because that means that Montenegro can be a successful country.”

Sunday’s loss represents one of the biggest setbacks for Djukanovic since he first took the helm of the former Yugoslav republic in 1991 and later oversaw its declaration of independence in 2006.

His defeat will likely weigh heavily on the balance of power in the Balkan nation ahead of snap parliamentary elections due in June, following months of gridlock after the government collapsed in August in the wake of a no-confidence vote.

Montenegro’s president, elected for a five-year term, has a mostly ceremonial position, with most political power residing with the prime minister.

The run-off came two weeks after the first round, where Djukanovic beat back a range of opponents hoping to shake up the political scene. In that race, Djukanovic garnered 35 percent of the vote compared to 29 percent for Milatovic.

But analysts had largely favoured Milatovic to win the presidency, arguing the pro-European economist was likely to appeal to a large number of voters desperate for change after decades of rule by Djukanovic and his Democratic Party of Socialists (DPS).

As news of Djukanovic’s defeat spread on Sunday night, Milatovic’s supporters took to the streets of the capital to celebrate, honking car horns and setting off fireworks over Podgorica.