Montenegro: No-confidence vote topples the government.

The Montenegrin administration was brought down on Saturday by a no-confidence vote in parliament, which ended the tenure of Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic, who took power in April 2022. The government's recent contentious agreement with the Serbian Orthodox Church (SPC) was at the heart of the 50-1 vote.

Political tensions have been simmering in Montenegro with President Milo Djukanovic, a staunch opponent of the SPC, attempting to undermine the coalition government and force early elections. "We need an election and a stable government," said parliamentarian Danijel Zivkovic, whose motion triggered the confidence vote.

Countering Serbian 'influence'

In 2006, the Adriatic nation seceded from Serbia, however, a third of its people still identify as Serbs, with the SPC as the dominant religion.

With the country divided over the church's significant role and the country's ties to Serbia, opponents accuse SPC of aiding Serbia's interests. In addition, the SPC leadership does not fully recognize Montenegro's independence.

Pro-Western Montenegrins saw the agreement with the SPC as evidence of Serbian and Russian meddling in their country, especially given the war in Ukraine.

The motion comes just months after another coalition government's rule was ended by a no-confidence vote in February. For the time being, Abazovic will most likely continue to lead on an interim basis until a replacement is found.