Democratic People's Party (Montenegro)

The Democratic People's Party (Serbian: Демократска народна партија, romanizedDemokratska narodna partija, DNP) is a Serb interests political party in Montenegro.

Democratic People's Party
Demokratska narodna partija
Демократска народна партија
LeaderMilan Knežević
FoundersMilan Knežević
Predrag Bulatović
FoundedSeptember 2012 (citizen's group)
21 March 2015 (political party)
Split fromSocialist People's Party
HeadquartersPodgorica
Ideology
Political positionRight-wing
National affiliationFor the Future of Montenegro
Parliament
4 / 81
Local Parliaments
40 / 847
Mayors
1 / 25
Website
www.dnpcg.me

History

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The Democratic People's Party was founded in 2015 from the former Socialist People's Party (SNP) faction led by Milan Knežević and Predrag Bulatović which left the Party and joined the Democratic Front alliance as an independent group, prior the October 2012 parliamentary election.[2] DNP currently has four MPs in the Parliament of Montenegro elected from the list of the Democratic Front alliance on 2016 election.

On 9 May 2019, paty leader Knežević, along with 13 another people found guilty by the Higher Court for the allegedly "plotting to commit terrorist acts and undermine the constitutional order of Montenegro on the day of 2016 parliamentary election." In 2021, the appellate court annulled the first instance verdict on all counts of the indictment.[3][4]

Ideology

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The party views the Serb community, which it represents, as discriminated against. It sees Montenegro as pursuing the concept of a nation-state and the politics of assimilation. It demands that the Serbian language enters the Constitution of Montenegro as the official language. The party is currently the main advocate of Serbian-Montenegrin unionism, together with its coalition partner the New Serb Democracy.[5]

The Democratic People's Party jointly with New Serb Democracy maintains cooperation with Russian far-right Rodina and United Russia parties as well with Serb nationalist Alliance of Independent Social Democrats from Bosnia and Herzegovina,[6] and the party also maintains a very close cooperation with the right-wing populist Serbian Progressive Party regime in Serbia.

Electoral performance

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Presidential elections

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President of Montenegro
Election year # Candidate 1st round vote % 2nd round % Notes
2013 2nd Miodrag Lekić 154,289 48.79% Independent, support
2018 2nd Mladen Bojanić 111,711 33.40% Independent, support
2023 3rd Andrija Mandić 65,385 19.32% Democratic Front

Parliamentary elections

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Election Party leader Performance Alliance Government
Votes % Seats +/–
2012 Milan Knežević 82,773 22.82%
3 / 81
New DF Opposition
2016 77,784 20.32%
4 / 81
  1 DF Opposition
2020 133,261 32.55%
5 / 81
  1 ZBCG Support 2020–22
Opposition 2022–23
2023 44,565 14.74%
4 / 81
  1 ZBCG Support 2023–24
Government 2024–

References

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  1. ^ a b c Nordsieck, Wolfram (2020). "Montenegro". Parties and Elections in Europe. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  2. ^ "Osnovana Demokratska narodna partija". pcnen.com.
  3. ^ "Ukinuta presuda za 'državni udar' u Crnoj Gori, DPS tvrdi rezultat pritiska na sud". Radio Slobodna Evropa. 5 February 2021. Retrieved 2021-02-10.
  4. ^ Ukinuta presuda za "državni udar": Počinjene bitne povrede odredaba krivičnog postupka, Vijesti, 5 February 2021
  5. ^ NOVA i DNP ne odustaju od ujedinjenja Crne Gore i Srbije
  6. ^ Deklaracija DNP-a i Jedinstvene Rusije, 6 May 2016, Radio i televizija Crne Gore. Retrieved 2021-02-10