Podgorica, 12 June 2023 (dpa/MIA) — The new reform-oriented Europe Now! movement has won the parliamentary elections in Montenegro, pollsters predicted after Sunday's vote, with official results still outstanding on Monday.

With almost all polling stations counted, the party received 26% of votes, and therefore 24 out of 81 mandates, the CDT election research institute declared late on Sunday evening in Podgorica. The second strongest party was the former presidential party DPS. It received 23% of the vote and can count on 21 mandates.

After the ousting of longtime pro-Western president Milo Djukanovic in April and the rapid rise of Europe Now!, power is now shifting in the small Balkan and NATO country.

Europe Now! lead candidate Milojko Spajic laid claim to the office of prime minister on election night. "We wil obviously form the new pro-European government," the 35-year-old said at a press conference in Podgorica.

To govern in future, Spajic will need partners. Two pro-Serbian electoral alliances as well as the parties of the Bosniaks, Albanians and Croats are considered possible options.

Spajic had ruled out a coalition with the DPS, which had dominated politics in Montenegro for a good 30 years under Djukanovic. 

Europe Now! had gone into the election as the favourite. The new party is eager to modernize and wants to lead the country into the European Union. At the same time, however, it also stands for closer ties with neighbouring Serbia.

Europe Now! co-founder Jakov Milatovic won presidential elections earlier this year, roundly defeating Djukanovic.

Djukanovic had led Montenegro to independence from Serbia in 2006 and into NATO in 2017. However he was criticised for corruption and mismanagement.

According to election researchers, voter turnout was 56%, significantly below expectations.