The end of endless reign in Montenegro: identifying factors in DPS’s loss of power after thirty years of rule

Abstract

ABSTRACT After thirty years of uninterrupted rule, the Democratic Party of Socialists of Montenegro (DPS) lost the elections in 2020. This paper explores four competing, yet not mutually exclusive, hypotheses that examine the factors contributing to the fall of the DPS. These factors include the conflict between the DPS and the Serbian Orthodox Church, a perception of the country moving in the right direction, the deceleration of the EU integration process, and the declining authority of DPS party leader Milo Djukanović. Bivariate statistics, trend analysis, and regression analysis have been used as methods to test specific hypotheses. Through statistical analysis, it becomes evident that these factors are interconnected and hold significance. However, it can be argued that the negative trends in the country’s direction and the decline in the authority of the party leader were more significant factors compared to the EU support or the conflict with the Serbian Orthodox Church.