Expanding Freedom and Democracy
Nations in Transit 2019

Montenegro

Transitional or Hybrid Regime
49
100
DEMOCRACY-PERCENTAGE Democracy Percentage 48.81 100
DEMOCRACY-SCORE Democracy Score 3.93 7
Last Year's Democracy Percentage & Status
51 100 Semi-Consolidated Democracy
The ratings are based on a scale of 1 to 7, with 7 representing the highest level of democratic progress and 1 the lowest. The Democracy Score is an average of ratings for the categories tracked in a given year. The Democracy Percentage, introduced in 2020, is a translation of the Democracy Score to the 0-100 scale, where 0 equals least democratic and 100 equals most democratic. See the methodology.

header1 Score changes in 2019

  • National Democratic Governance score declined from 3.50 to 3.25. After Dukanovic’s election in April, parliament passed a law greatly expanding the presidency's powers. The legislature’s ability to act as a check on the presidency was further weakened by its dysfunction, a result of a boycott by opposition MPs. Public trust in the government continued to erode.
  • Electoral Process score declined from 4.50 to 4.25. The country’s April presidential election was free but not fair with eventual winner Milo Dukanovic—who has dominated political life in Montenegro since the early 1990s—enjoying the access to state resources during the campaign. Dukanovic also refused to publicly debate the other candidates for the presidency. In addition, the country’s electoral code remained unreformed in 2018, though a parliamentary committee with a reform mandate was constituted in November.
  • Independent Media score declined from 3.50 to 3.25. The country’s press freedom situation deteriorated in 2018, a year which saw the government smear independent journalists and interfere in the operations of the state broadcaster. In April, a car bomb exploded outside the home of investigative reporter Sead Sadikovic. In May, investigative reporter Olivera Lakic was shot by unknown assailants.
  • Judicial Framework and Independence score declined from 4.00 to 3.75. The ongoing trial of the 2016 coup d'état suspects (including two leaders of the opposition) revealed a lack of professionalism in Montenegro’s judicial system and took on political overtones. Welcome amendments to Montenegro’s Judicial Council were adopted in June, but parliamentary gridlock stymied its work.

On Montenegro

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Country Facts

  • Global Freedom Score

    67 100 partly free