What you should know about tomorrow's elections other than the constant emphasis on Montenegrin citizens choosing between East and West (THREAD)
The opposition has tried over the years to convince the public that DPS is not the state. Montenegro will exist without DPS.

In a hypothetical situation where the opposition would win, we would be looking at a government with highly diverse political views and a stark difference of opinion on key issues. But that wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing.

I believe it would lay the foundations for increased democratization in MNE which was hampered by the concentration of power on one man and one party until now. If they continued to insist on issues of identity, then that government would definitely not be a good thing for MNE.

Djukanovic has long been seen as a guarantor of stability in the region. His relationship with Serbia is hot and cold, and both him and Vucic might use heated rhetoric one day while backing down the other.

While Brussels has increased its criticism of Djukanovic, it’s still at the level of fine-tuning. He is a credible partner for them because of his commitment to the EU path, and they have yet to become more concrete and explicit in their criticism of his undemocratic practices.

Russia is once again one of the main sources of foreign direct investment in the country, and while DPS tries to rally voters around the fear of Russian political intereference, they have absolutely no qualms about continued Russian investment in the country.

According to recent public opinion polls support for the DPS has dropped significantly, and this is interpreted as a consequence of the adoption of the Law on Freedom of Religion and conflict with the SPS. Responsibility for deepening divisions in Montenegro also lies with the DF

It should also be taken into account that the outcome of the elections will be influenced by the uneven playing filed and the institutional advantage that the DPS enjoys.

Citizens of Montenegro partly support Djukanovic because of the interest on a larger or smaller scale, partly because they do not see a clear and credible alternative in the opposition, and partly because of sharing the core values.

Another mandate for the DPS means a policy of continuity, a formal commitment to pro-Western values, while in practice they will continue to exert pressure on institutions, abuse resources and power, and restrict freedoms.