Social Democratic Party of Montenegro

Social Democratic Party of Montenegro (Montenegrin: Социјалдемократска партија Црне Горе, romanizedSocijaldemokratska partija Crne Gore; or just the Social Democratic Party, abbr. SDP) is a nationalist and social democratic political party in Montenegro. It is the only party in Montenegro to have full membership in the Socialist International. From 1998 until the 2016 coalition split, it was a minor coalition partner of the Democratic Party of Socialists, that led Montenegro from the introduction of the multi-party system until the 2020 Montenegrin parliamentary election.

Social Democratic Party
Socijaldemokratska partija
Социјалдемократска партија
PresidentIvan Vujović
Honorary PresidentRanko Krivokapić
FoundersŽarko Rakčević
Ljubiša Stanković
Dragiša Burzan
Founded12 June 1993
HeadquartersPodgorica
Youth wingForum mladih SDP Crne Gore
IdeologyMontenegrin nationalism
Pro-Europeanism
Social democracy[1]
Political positionCentre-left[2]
European affiliationParty of European Socialists (associate)
International affiliationProgressive Alliance[3]
Socialist International[4]
Parliament
0 / 81
Mayors
1 / 25
Local Parliaments
33 / 847
Website
sdp.co.me

History

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On 14 July 1991, members of Union of Reform Forces of Yugoslavia (SRSJ) from four coastal municipalities in the SR Montenegro, Herceg Novi, Kotor, Tivat and Budva, who were subsequently joined by reformists from Cetinje, formed the first regional Montenegrin political party - the Alliance of Reformists of the Montenegrin Coastline with Miodrag Marović as President. On 7 July 1992, the League united with Žarko Rakčević's Party of Socialists desiring to create a major Montenegrin party, forming the Social Democratic Party of Reformists (SDPR). Finally, on 12 June 1993, the Independent Organization of Communists of Bar, the Alliance of Reform forces of Yugoslavia for Montenegro and the Party of National Tolerance merged into it, forming the Social Democratic Party of Montenegro and uniting the forces that opposed the policies of the Milošević regime during the Yugoslav wars. Eventually, Yugoslav People's Party and Old Yugoslav People's Party also merged into SDP in the following years. Notable founders include Žarko Rakčević, Dragiša Burzan and Ljubiša Stanković.[5]

When the policies of the ruling Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro (DPS) turned towards the goal of full independence for Montenegro, DPS and SDP started working closely together to achieve this goal. Allying itself with the DPS and Đukanović ahead of the 1998 parliamentary elections allowed the SDP to enter the parliament for the first time in its history. Since the 1998 election, SDP has continued to a minor coalition partner of DPS and a part of every Montenegrin government between 1998 and 2015. The goal of restoration of the Montenegrin independence was achieved following the victory in a referendum held on 21 May 2006. President of the Parliament of Montenegro from 2003 to 2016, Ranko Krivokapić, officially proclaimed the independence of Montenegro on 3 June 2006.

Following the shift of the party towards a more critical and independent political course, in Autumn 2015 the pro-DPS faction of SDP formed a new party named Social Democrats of Montenegro (SD). On 22 January 2016, SDP officially left the ruling coalition with DPS and announced its support for a vote of no confidence against the government of Milo Đukanović on 25 January 2016. In the following 2016 parliamentary election SDP ran independently for the first time since 1996, and retained its parliamentary status, winning 5.23% of votes.

At the 2018 presidential elections, SDP nominated its MP Draginja Vuksanović, who was the first female presidential candidate in the history of Montenegro. Vuksanović finished third, winning 8.2% of the votes.[6] On 29 June 2019, after Krivokapić resignation, Vuksanović was elected new president of the Party, making her the only female president of a Montenegrin political party, at the time. On this occasion, former President Krivokapic has been named honorary president.

Electoral performance

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Parliamentary elections

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Election Party leader Performance Alliance Government
Votes % Seats +/–
1992[a] Miodrag Marović 13.002 4.10%
4 / 85
New Opposition
1996 Žarko Rakčević 16,708 5.66%
0 / 71
  4 Extra-parliamentary
1998 170,080 48.87%
5 / 78
  5 ECG Coalition
2001 153,946 42.04%
6 / 77
  1 ECG Coalition
2002 Ranko Krivokapić 167,166 48.0%
7 / 75
  1 ECG Coalition
2006 164,737 48.62%
7 / 81
0 ECG Coalition
2009 168,290 51.9%
9 / 81
  2 ECG Coalition
2012 165,380 45.60%
6 / 81
  3 ECG Coalition 2012–15
Opposition 2015–16
2016 20,011 5.23%
4 / 81
  2 Opposition
2020 Draginja Vuksanović 12,835 3.14%
2 / 81
  2 Opposition 2020–22
Coalition 2022
Opposition 2022–23
2023 Raško Konjević 9,010 2.98%
0 / 81
  2 Extra-parliamentary
  1. ^ Formally run as Social Democratic Party of Reformists (SDPR). Shortly after the election, the SDPR merged with
    extra-parliamentary Socialist Party (SP) to form Social Democratic Party (SDP). SDPR-elected MPs joined the
    newly-formed SDP's parliamentary group.

Presidential elections

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President of Montenegro
Election year Candidate # 1st round votes % # 2nd round votes % Notes
1997 Milo Đukanović 2nd 145,348 46.71% 1st 174,745 50.79 DPS, support
2003 Filip Vujanović 1st 139,574 64.2% ECG, support
2008 Filip Vujanović 1st 171,118 51.89% ECG, support
2018 Draginja Vuksanović 3rd 27,441 8.20%
2023 Draginja Vuksanović 5th 10,669 3.15%

Positions held

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Major positions held by Social Democratic Party of Montenegro members:

President of the Parliament of Montenegro Years
Ranko Krivokapić 2003–2016

References

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  1. ^ Nordsieck, Wolfram (2020). "Montenegro". Parties and Elections in Europe. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  2. ^ "Montenegro".
  3. ^ "Parties & Organisations". Progressive Alliance. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  4. ^ "Full list of member parties and organisations". Socialist International. Retrieved 22 July 2019.
  5. ^ SDP Crna Gora - Istorijat
  6. ^ Vuksanović poručila da neće odustati od kandidature, Vijesti, 14 April 2018
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