PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) — Montenegro's president, who is running for reelection this weekend, dissolved parliament Thursday, paving the way for an early parliamentary election in the near future.
President Milo Djukanovic issued a decree dissolving parliament three months after Montenegro's government fell in a no-confidence vote and after lawmakers failed to elect a new one.
Djukanovic is expected to set a date for the early election on Friday.
Montenegro is holding its presidential election on Sunday. Analysts predict the voting will not produce a clear winner and that the pro-Western incumbent will face one of several challengers in a runoff two weeks later.
His opponents include candidates from several parties in a pro-Serbia alliance.
Djukanovic and his Democratic Party of Socialists led Montenegro to independence from Serbia in 2006 and into NATO in 2017. But faced with corruption allegations, the party lost a 2020 parliamentary election to an alliance of parties seeking closer relations with Serbia and Russia.
The ruling coalition has since been in disarray, creating a political stalemate which stalled Montenegro's bid to join the European Union.
Predrag Milic, The Associated Press
